But the dominant narrative around the project mirrors the classic development versus environment conflict of a pristine Pandora being ravaged for the greed of far-away mainlanders. The Great Nicobar Island Project (GNIP) envisages a trans-shipment port, an international airport, township development, and a 450 Megavolt-Amperes (MVA) gas and solar-based power plant. The NGT order essentially rubber-stamps the government’s appraisal process without independently examining the concerns raised. It only imposes faith that the government will be a conscientious executor of the project. Whether the Great Nicobar Project is a ‘net good’ can only be judged by future generations, but the lack of a process that offers a fair appraisal of independent concerns bodes ill for the present.
