What is the common examiner trap about Environment in UPSC exams?

They may confuse the 'Southern Nicobarese' (Scheduled Tribe) with the 'Shompen' (PVTG), or swap the location of the 2004 earthquake epicenter (Banda Aceh, Indonesia) with Sumatra. They may also ask about the 'Sundaland Biodiversity Hotspot' being one of four in India, and test knowledge of the other three (Western Ghats, Himalayas, Indo-Burma).

What should UPSC aspirants remember about Environment for Prelims?

1. Target this Data: ₹72,000 crore project cost and 1 million trees marked for felling. 2. Target this Nodal Body: National Green Tribunal (NGT) and its mandate under the NGT Act, 2010. 3. Target this Legal Point: The Shompen tribe is a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).

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News 10 of 27

₹72,000 Crore Great Nicobar Transhipment Port Project in Sundaland Biodiversity Hotspot Raises Ecological and Seismic Concerns

Q: Under which Act was the National Green Tribunal (NGT) established?

The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, The NGT is a specialized judicial body established under the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, for the effective disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation. The article references the NGT's mandate.

Q: Consider the following statements regarding the Great Nicobar Island project: 1. The project involves building an international transhipment port, an airport, and a township with an estimated cost of ₹72,000 crore. 2. Great Nicobar Island is part of the Sundaland Biodiversity Hotspot and was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2013. 3. The Shompen tribe, a Scheduled Tribe with a population of about 1,200, is the indigenous community primarily affected by the project. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Both 1 and 2, Statement 1 is correct as per the article. Statement 2 is correct; Great Nicobar is part of Sundaland Hotspot and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2013. Statement 3 is incorrect; the Shompen are a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) with a population of 229, not a Scheduled Tribe of 1,200 (that is the Southern Nicobarese).

Q: According to the 2011 Census mentioned in the article, what is the population of the Shompen tribe, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) on Great Nicobar Island?

229, The article explicitly states that the Shompen, a PVTG, number just 229 according to the 2011 Census. The Southern Nicobarese, a Scheduled Tribe, number about 1,200. 650 refers to plant species, and 1,000 is a distractor.

Q: What is the primary ecological risk highlighted by critics of the Great Nicobar project, beyond the direct destruction of forests?

Disruption of monsoon patterns due to loss of moisture-rich forests, The article specifically mentions that a million trees marked for felling in these tropical forests 'play a critical role as moisture-rich precursors to the southwest monsoon'. This indicates a direct impact on regional climate patterns, a significant ecological risk.

Environment Infrastructure Security & DefenceHIGH

Target:UPSC GS-IIIMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link

15 May 2026

~2 min

Source: Indian Express

Key Data:₹72,000 crore229 (Shompen population)1,200 (Nicobarese population)1 million treesUNESCO Biosphere Reserve 20139.2 magnitude earthquake

Bodies:National Green Tribunal (NGT)UNESCO

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~2 min · Quick mode

What This Article Covers

1.The ₹72,000 crore Great Nicobar project involves a port, airport, and township, threatening the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and indigenous Shompen and Nicobarese communities.

2.The island lies in a tectonically active zone, with cyclical uplift and subsidence, making large-scale infrastructure a high-risk 'forward liability'.

3.The NGT's clearance, citing strategic importance without rigorous scrutiny, creates a precedent where ecological costs can be overridden by unexamined strategic claims.

The Big Picture

Prelims · HighMains · High

A ₹72,000 crore mega-infrastructure project on Great Nicobar Island, touted as India's strategic 'Singapore or Hong Kong', faces severe criticism for ignoring seismic risks and ecological destruction. The project's approval by the NGT, based on unexamined strategic claims, sets a dangerous precedent for sacrificing environmental integrity.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Project Cost₹72,000 crore

Shompen Population (PVTG)229 (2011 Census)

Southern Nicobarese PopulationApproximately 1,200

Trees marked for felling1 million

Great Nicobar Biosphere ReserveUNESCO designation in 2013

Epicenter of 2004 EarthquakeBanda Aceh, Indonesia (9.2 magnitude)

1-Minute Revision

›Project Cost: ₹72,000 crore
›Shompen Population (PVTG): 229 (2011 Census)
›Target this Data: ₹72,000 crore project cost and 1 million trees marked for felling.
›Target this Nodal Body: National Green Tribunal (NGT) and its mandate under the NGT Act, 2010.
›Target this Legal Point: The Shompen tribe is a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).

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News Snapshot

🏝️

Mega Project

A ₹72,000 crore transhipment port, airport, and township project is planned on Great Nicobar Island, marketed as India's strategic 'Singapore or Hong Kong'.

⚖️

NGT's Controversial Clearance

The National Green Tribunal cleared the project citing strategic importance and 'adequate safeguards', but failed to scrutinize expert research on seismic and ecological risks.

🌋

Geological Risk

The island lies in a tectonically active zone near Banda Aceh, experiencing cyclical uplift and sudden subsidence, making infrastructure vulnerable to earthquakes and tsunamis.

Detailed Analysis & Strategic Depth

Context / Background

Great Nicobar Island is part of the Sundaland Biodiversity Hotspot, declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2013. It houses two indigenous tribal communities: the Shompen (PVTG) and Southern Nicobarese. The proposed 'strategic' development aims to transform the island into a major transhipment hub, competing with regional ports.

Core Analysis & Implications

The project's ecological cost is immense: destruction of ancestral forests, threat to over 650 plant species, and impact on the endangered leatherback turtle. The seismic reality is even more critical; the region undergoes strain build-up and release cycles, with GPS data showing slow uplift. Building on such unstable ground, compounded by sea-level rise, creates a 'forward liability' rather than a base. The NGT's decision, accepting government assertions without scrutiny, undermines its mandate and sets a precedent for sacrificing environmental integrity for strategic claims.

Future Outlook / Way Forward

The project's approval invites scrutiny on the balance between national security and environmental sustainability. Future infrastructure projects in ecologically sensitive and geologically hazardous zones will likely face increased public and judicial scrutiny. The precedent set by the Char Dham road-widening project, which led to Himalayan disasters, highlights the need for rigorous environmental impact assessments before such mega-projects.

Key Facts at a Glance

Project Cost₹72,000 crore

Shompen Population (PVTG)229 (2011 Census)

Southern Nicobarese PopulationApproximately 1,200

Trees marked for felling1 million

Great Nicobar Biosphere ReserveUNESCO designation in 2013

Epicenter of 2004 EarthquakeBanda Aceh, Indonesia (9.2 magnitude)

You've read the full analysis. Now test your understanding.

Practice exam-style questions based on this article.

Q1Static LinkageEasyUPSC, SSC, State PSC

Under which Act was the National Green Tribunal (NGT) established?

Q2Statement-basedHardUPSC, SSC

Consider the following statements regarding the Great Nicobar Island project:

1. The project involves building an international transhipment port, an airport, and a township with an estimated cost of ₹72,000 crore.

2. Great Nicobar Island is part of the Sundaland Biodiversity Hotspot and was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2013.

3. The Shompen tribe, a Scheduled Tribe with a population of about 1,200, is the indigenous community primarily affected by the project.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMediumUPSC, SSC

According to the 2011 Census mentioned in the article, what is the population of the Shompen tribe, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) on Great Nicobar Island?

Q4Application/ImpactMediumUPSC

What is the primary ecological risk highlighted by critics of the Great Nicobar project, beyond the direct destruction of forests?

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₹72,000 Crore Great Nicobar Transhipment Port Project in Sundaland Biodiversity Hotspot Raises Ecological and Seismic Concerns

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

1-Minute Revision

News Snapshot

Mega Project

NGT's Controversial Clearance

Geological Risk

Detailed Analysis & Strategic Depth

Context / Background

Core Analysis & Implications

Future Outlook / Way Forward

Prelims Flashpoints

Key Facts at a Glance