New Delhi

The Congress on Wednesday intensified its criticism of the Centre's ambitious Great Nicobar Island (GNI) development project, alleging that the proposed transshipment port at Galathea Bay could cause severe ecological damage, including the destruction of thousands of coral colonies.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh cited media reports indicating that the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) is preparing to seek environmental clearance for the relocation of more than 16,000 coral colonies that may be affected by construction activities linked to the Galathea Bay port project.

Reacting to the report, Ramesh questioned the environmental viability of the project and warned that relocating coral ecosystems on such a scale had no proven track record of success anywhere in the world.

"The proposed transshipment port at Galathea Bay is a blueprint for ecological disaster. One visible consequence will be the large-scale damage to coral habitats," Ramesh said in a post on social media platform X.

The Congress leader argued that coral translocation has rarely succeeded as a mitigation strategy and urged scientists and environmental experts to express their professional concerns independently rather than yielding to political pressure.

Ramesh's remarks come shortly after he wrote to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, expressing concern over the reported decision not to proceed with the full expansion of the runway at INS Baaz, a strategically important naval air station in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

He also pointed out that he had repeatedly written to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav over the past two years, raising objections to what he described as shortcomings and inconsistencies in the environmental impact assessments conducted for the overall project.

The Centre's proposed Great Nicobar Island development plan includes the construction of an international container transshipment terminal, a dual-use civilian and military airport, a township and supporting power infrastructure.

The project has faced criticism from environmentalists and opposition leaders who argue that the ecologically sensitive island could suffer irreversible damage due to large-scale construction activities.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has also voiced strong opposition to the initiative. Earlier this month, he rejected the government's assertion that the project is primarily aimed at strengthening defence infrastructure and maritime trade.

According to Gandhi, the project is being promoted under the guise of strategic development while actually facilitating commercial interests, including tourism-related ventures. Following his visit to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in April, he released a detailed video highlighting environmental concerns and urged citizens to support a campaign advocating environmental conservation over commercial expansion.

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The debate over the Great Nicobar project continues as questions are raised about balancing strategic development with ecological preservation in one of India's most biodiverse regions.