Concerns over displacement and compensation in the Great Nicobar infrastructure project were raised in Parliament, with Andaman and Nicobar Islands Member of Parliament Bishnu Pada Ray highlighting the plight of settlers in the Campbell Bay region during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha.
Drawing attention to the challenges faced by affected families, the MP urged the government to bring all impacted residents under the provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. He stressed that compensation must be aligned with the Act’s principles to ensure fairness and transparency in land acquisition.
Ray specifically demanded that landowners be provided compensation at the rate of ₹1.5 crore per hectare, arguing that the current or proposed compensation mechanisms may not adequately reflect the value of land and livelihood losses in the ecologically sensitive and geographically remote Nicobar region.
Highlighting the dependence of local communities on horticulture, the MP further called for comprehensive compensation for fruit-bearing trees, including coconut and arecanut plantations. These trees, he noted, form a crucial component of household income and long-term sustenance for many families in the area.
The MP also emphasized the need for a “land-for-land” approach in rehabilitation, stating that monetary compensation alone would not suffice for families that have been traditionally dependent on land for their livelihood. He urged the government to ensure that displaced residents are provided equivalent land in suitable locations, enabling continuity of their socio-economic life.
The intervention comes amid ongoing discussions and concerns surrounding the ambitious Great Nicobar project, which has been positioned as a strategic and economic development initiative but has also raised questions over environmental impact and local displacement.
Ray’s remarks underscore the growing demand for a balanced approach that integrates development goals with the rights and welfare of indigenous and settler communities in the islands.
