The container terminal that could sink the Great Nicobar Island by Mayank Aggarwal on 20 July 2022 https://india.mongabay.com/2022/07/the-container-terminal-that-could-sink-the-great-nicobar-island/ Mongabay Series: India's Iconic Landscapes it would result in irreversible damage to the pristine rainforests as it involves cutting of about 852,000 trees.
•Those opposing the project also highlight that it would adversely impact primitive tribal groups and wildlife including species such as leatherback turtles, saltwater crocodiles, Nicobar crab-eating macaque and migratory birds.
Response by Anand Pendharkar AS The government is a caretaker and not a ruler of the country, we don't live in a dictatorship but in a democracy, which by definition (let me remind you, is the rule of the people, by the people and for the people) and NOT of and by the government, FOR big businesses and profiteering. When subsequent governments have gone awry and on a toxic drug-addict like HIGH, endangering the survival of the very people and wildlife that has the same rights under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, civil society has knocked hard on the doors of the court, argued matters sensibly and with facts, figures and giving legitimacy to every stakeholder and STOPPED wrong projects.
Uncontrolled and unsustainable growth, with short term benefits in mind is in medical terms is called CANCER, not DEVELOPMENT...
You may want to kneel and beg to the corrupt politicians to benevolent and throw alms to the poor tribals and some CSR greenwashing dole outs for frogs, monkeys and other things like tigers. But let me remind you these tribals have at least a few thousand year head start to ownership of these lands. The governments have to beg to the citizens to release these resources which if you read the constitution belong to the people.
This forum is not intended to beg for alms, but to assert and establish the rights of the mountains, rivers, fishes, turtles, wild pigs and humans, which in our tradition has been represented in every avatar of Vishnu! Whether you want to believe in mythology, science or the word of the law, none would permit the total destruction of the sacred Sahyadri Hills for mining bauxite or coal or other destructive projects. Let's not suckle at the teats of money goddess alone, she is nothing with her forests, wildlife, tribals, mountains and whales..
If it would need to go back to the drafting board to redesign what is technology, then so be it. It is time!
Citizens file RTI applications on Niti Aayog plans for the Andaman & Nicobar islands by Pankaj Sekhsaria on 12 April 2021 https://india.mongabay.com/2021/04/citizens-file-rti-applications-on-niti-aayog-plans-for-the-andaman-nicobar-islands/