Congress says Great Nicobar project endangers UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve

📌 Summary:

• Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on May 19, 2026 that the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve is now "hugely endangered" because of the "ill-conceived, commercially-driven" Great Nicobar Island Project being "bulldozed" through by the BJP-led Centre

• Ramesh, a former Environment Minister, noted that the reserve is one of India's 18 designated biosphere reserves, of which 13 are internationally recognised under UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves

• The Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve was declared in 2013 and is among the 13 internationally recognised reserves

• He drew a distinction between UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves, calling the latter "equally prestigious", with the objective of preserving ecological and cultural diversity

• Ramesh has repeatedly claimed that the project endangers the region's ecology and that environmental clearance for the Great Nicobar project was given without adequate study

• The Centre's position: It maintains that the project is necessary for the country's strategic interests

• The controversy reflects the recurring tension between large strategic and infrastructure projects and the protection of ecologically sensitive zones

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 (environment, conservation, Environmental Impact Assessment, development versus ecology) — a live case study of balancing strategic infrastructure with biodiversity protection.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• India has 18 designated biosphere reserves; 13 are recognised under UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves (Man and the Biosphere Programme)
• The Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve was declared in 2013 and lies in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
• UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the World Network of Biosphere Reserves are distinct designations
• The Great Nicobar Island Project involves a transshipment port, an international airport, a township and a power plant

🔑 Key Term: Biosphere Reserve — an area of terrestrial or coastal ecosystems recognised under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, zoned into core, buffer and transition areas to combine conservation with sustainable use.