Tribal Affairs Minister’s promise to look into Nicobar project clearances ‘mildly’ encouraging: Congress
The Hindu
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh questions Union Minister Jual Oram's power over tribal affairs in Modi government.
Calling Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram’s promise to look into the clearances granted for the ₹72,000 crore Great Nicobar Island Project only “mildly” encouraging, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday doubted how much power Union Ministers have over their own portfolios in a government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He also called for the Tribal Affairs Minister to review all decisions taken in the last 10 years that “weakened tribal rights”.
Mr. Ramesh, Congress’ General Secretary-in-charge, Communications, was responding to Mr. Oram’s remarks with The Hindu, published on Monday. In the interaction, Mr. Oram had said that the Ministry of Tribal Affairs would be looking into the forest clearances granted for the mega infrastructure project while highlighting his intent to focus on forest and land rights issues of tribal communities during his term.
OPINION | Nicobar triangle: on the ₹72,000-crore project on Great Nicobar Island
Mr. Oram’s remarks had come as the Congress pushed hard to withdraw clearances granted for the project and ground-up review of it citing complaints that it would be detrimental to the environment on the island and the people who reside there — including the Shompen — a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group.
Responding to Mr. Oram’s promise of looking into the complaints against the project’s clearances, Mr. Ramesh said in a social media post on X (formerly Twitter), “The very first interview given by the Minister of Tribal Affairs Jual Oram indicates that he is not averse to a review of the 72,000 crores project in Greater Nicobar Islands that is a perfect recipe for ecological and humanitarian disaster. This is mildly encouraging. I say ‘mildly’ because the REAL decisions are taken for him by the non-biological PM and his band.”
Also Read | Congress demands withdrawal of clearances to Great Nicobar infrastructure project
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