Tribal Council raises concerns over Great Nicobar project's impact on PVTG Shompen community
2-minute summary
The Tribal Council of Great and Little Nicobar has raised serious concerns regarding the ₹91,000-crore Great Nicobar Island (GNI) infrastructure project, cautioning that it threatens the survival and habitat of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), the Shompen, as well as the Nicobarese community. The project includes an international container transshipment terminal, a greenfield airport, a gas and solar power plant at Galathea Bay, and a township. Tribal representatives allege that administrative authorities suggested the Shompen—an isolated hunter-gatherer community with a population of less than 300—must assimilate into modern lifestyles. The Tribal Council emphasized that infrastructure near Galathea violates indigenous rights and pointed out that recent wildlife sanctuary notifications and project clearances were executed without obtaining the mandatory consent of local tribal councils under existing statutory safeguards. This controversy highlights the recurring conflict between national strategic/developmental priorities and the constitutional imperative to preserve fragile indigenous cultures and biodiversity hotspots.
Why it's in the news
The Great Nicobar Tribal Council alleged that the island administration sought to force the isolated Shompen PVTG into modern settlements as part of the GNI infrastructure project. The Council also raised alarm over power plant developments near Galathea and the notification of wildlife reserves without tribal consent.
Background and context
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands host five Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs): Great Andamanese, Jarawas, Onges, Sentinelese (all Negrito, located in Andaman), and the Shompen (Mongoloid, residing in interior Great Nicobar). The Nicobarese are another indigenous Mongoloid tribe residing in the region. In 1956, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Regulation (PATR) was promulgated to prohibit unauthorized entry and protect indigenous habitats. The Shompen are uncontacted/semi-isolated forest dwellers dependent entirely on hunting, foraging, and freshwater rivers like Galathea and Alexandra. In recent years, the NITI Aayog-driven GNI mega-project at Great Nicobar has triggered domestic and international scrutiny over large-scale diversion of virgin rainforests, impact on nesting grounds of the Giant Leatherback turtle, and existential threats to the Shompen and Nicobarese through demographic and spatial disruption.
Constitutional provisions
- Article 240 — Empowers the President to make regulations for the peace, progress, and good governance of the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- Article 29(1) — Guarantees citizens with distinct language, script, or culture the right to conserve the same, protecting indigenous identity.
- Article 21 — Encompasses the right to life with human dignity, customary livelihood, and clean environment for indigenous communities.
- Article 46 — Directive Principle mandating the State to promote with special care the educational and economic interests of Scheduled Tribes and protect them from social injustice.
Committees and reports
- Dhebar Commission — Recommended the creation of a distinct category for the most vulnerable tribal communities, leading to the creation of Primitive Tribal Groups (now PVTGs).
- Virginius Xaxa Committee (High-Level Committee on Socio-Economic, Health and Educational Status of Tribal Communities of India) — Emphasized strict adherence to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), cautioning against forced assimilation of PVTGs and recommending protection of ancestral tribal lands.
Government schemes
- Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) — Aims to deliver essential amenities and social infrastructure to PVTG households while respecting their distinct cultural sensitivities.
- Policy on the Shompen of Great Nicobar Island — Notification of 2015 prioritizing the integrity of Shompen habitat, minimal outside contact, and healthcare delivery without forced assimilation.
International organisations
- United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) — Advocates Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) before undertaking infrastructure or displacement projects on indigenous lands.
- International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 169 — Key international instrument on the rights of indigenous and tribal peoples concerning non-discrimination and preservation of ancestral territories.
Previous UPSC questions on this theme
- Prelims GS-1 2019 — Consider the following statements about Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India : 1. PVTGs reside in 18 States and one Union Territory. 2. A stagnant or declining population is one of the criteria for determining PVTG status. 3. There are 95 PVTGs officially notified in the country so far. 4. Irular and Konda Reddi tribes are included in the list of PVTGs. Which of the statements given above are correct? (a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2, 3 and 4 (c) 1, 2 and 4 (d) 1, 3 and 4
Mains practice: Examine the developmental versus ecological and human rights dilemmas involved in the execution of the Great Nicobar Island mega-project, with specific reference to the Shompen PVTG.
The ₹91,000-crore Great Nicobar Island (GNI) project aims to build an international transshipment port, airport, power plant, and township at Galathea Bay, highlighting the classic friction between geostrategic ambitions and the rights of indigenous populations.
• Strategic and Economic Rationale:
- Maritime Dominance: Great Nicobar is positioned near the Malacca Strait, critical for countering regional naval dominance and securing international sea lines of communication (SLOCs).
- Economic Growth: The transshipment port seeks to capture international cargo traffic currently handled by Colombo, Singapore, and Port Klang.
• Ecological and Indigenous Dilemmas:
- Existential Threat to PVTGs: The Shompen, an uncontacted/semi-isolated PVTG of less than 300 individuals, face severe demographic and epidemiological risks from forced assimilation, infrastructure intrusion, and influx of outside labor.
- Violation of Statutory Safeguards: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Regulation (PATR) 1956 and Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006 mandate tribal consent, which the Tribal Council alleges was bypassed during sanctuary and project notifications.
- Biodiversity Loss: Galathea Bay is a premier nesting site for the endangered Giant Leatherback turtle, Nicobar Megapode, and rich coral ecosystems vulnerable to dredging and forest diversion.
• The Way Forward:
- Adherence to the 2015 Policy on the Shompen, ensuring 'minimal and non-intrusive contact' without coercive integration.
- Institutionalizing Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) through the empowered Tribal Councils.
- Re-evaluating project layout to create inviolable buffer zones around Galathea river basins.
True national security encompasses both territorial defense and the preservation of irreplaceable indigenous heritage.
Prelims practice questions
Q1. With reference to the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, consider the following statements: 1. The Shompen and Nicobarese belong to the Mongoloid racial stock. 2. The Sentinelese and Jarawa are categorized under Negrito racial stock. 3. All indigenous tribes of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are designated as PVTGs. Which of the statements given above are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Answer: A. Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Shompen and Nicobarese are of Mongoloid origin, while Sentinelese, Jarawas, Onges, and Great Andamanese are Negrito. Statement 3 is incorrect because the Nicobarese tribe is a Scheduled Tribe but is not categorized as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
Q2. Galathea Bay National Park and Campbell Bay National Park together form which of the following Biosphere Reserves?
- Similipal Biosphere Reserve
- Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve
- Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve
- Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve
Answer: D. Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve comprises Campbell Bay National Park on the northern part of the island and Galathea National Park on the southern part, recognized under UNESCO's Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme.
Q3. Which of the following is NOT one of the standard criteria used for declaring a Scheduled Tribe as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in India?
- Pre-agricultural level of technology
- Compulsory adherence to nomadic pastoralism
- Stagnant or declining population
- Low level of literacy
Answer: B. The four criteria identified by the Government of India for identifying PVTGs are: 1) Pre-agricultural level of technology (hunting-gathering/shifting cultivation), 2) Low level of literacy, 3) Economic backwardness / subsistence economy, and 4) A declining or stagnant population. Nomadic pastoralism is not a mandatory criterion.
Revision flashcards
- Which indigenous tribes inhabit the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and how are they classified racially? Negrito Stock: Great Andamanese, Onge, Jarawa, Sentinelese (Andaman group). Mongoloid Stock: Shompen, Nicobarese (Nicobar group). All except the Nicobarese are classified as PVTGs.
- What are the four official criteria for PVTG categorization in India? 1. Pre-agricultural level of technology. 2. Low level of literacy. 3. Economic backwardness (subsistence level). 4. Stagnant or declining population.
- What is the legal objective of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Regulation (PATR), 1956? To protect aboriginal tribes by creating reserved areas, preventing unauthorized commercial entry, regulating land alienation, and shielding isolated tribes from outside exploitation.
- What are the major components of the Great Nicobar Island (GNI) project at Galathea Bay? An International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT), a greenfield international airport, a township, and a gas/solar power plant.
- What does the 2015 Policy on the Shompen Tribe mandate regarding their contact with modern society? It mandates the protection of their territorial integrity, maintaining a policy of non-interference and minimal contact, and strictly rejecting forced assimilation or modern lifestyle imposition.