“Great Nicobar could change forever”: Pankaj Sekhsaria on India’s mega project | Interview

India’s plan to build a massive infrastructure project on Great Nicobar Island has triggered a heated debate among policymakers, scientists and environmentalists. The proposed development includes a transhipment port, an international airport, a power plant and a large township, and is being projected as a project that could transform India’s strategic and economic presence in the Indian Ocean. 
 
However, critics warn that the scale of the project could irreversibly damage one of the most fragile ecosystems in the country and affect indigenous communities that have lived on the island for generations. 
 
In this interview, researcher and writer Pankaj Sekhsaria, who has closely studied the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, explains the environmental, geological and social implications of the proposed project.