A draft plan outlining the “relocation” of Nicobarese tribal communities affected by the Union authorities’s Nice Nicobar Island (GNI) mega-infrastructure mission “to their ancestral lands” has created confusion and is exacerbating present apprehensions amongst locals. They’ve been, for 4 years, protesting the clearance for the ₹92,000-crore mission after withdrawing their consent in 2022, alleging that their forest rights had not been settled.
This draft “Complete Tribal Welfare Plan”, ready by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration and circulated on March 13, 2026 for session with line departments and the Tribal Council of Nice Nicobar, proposes a ₹42.52-crore outlay over 24 months for the “relocation of Nicobarese tribal communities from tsunami-affected or project-impacted areas”, which includes housing, land improvement and primary infrastructure.
Additionally learn: Why has NGT cleared the Nicobar mission? | defined
Nevertheless, particulars of the place the proposed relocation will happen and who shall be relocated have left members of the Tribal Council of Nice and Little Nicobar confused, in keeping with Nicobarese group leaders who spoke to The Hindu. They stated they have been handed a replica of the draft plan on March 28, 2026 and have since been referred to as for 2 conferences by the district administration Campbell Bay to log out on it.
This comes because the Union authorities instructed a Calcutta Excessive Court docket Bench on March 30, 2026 that it wanted 15 days to “exhibit that consent has been taken from the tribal individuals” for its mission. This Bench is listening to a batch of petitions difficult the mission’s clearance on the grounds that it violated consent procedures and forest rights of the Nicobarese and Shompen communities.
At a gathering on April 1, 2026, the Tribal Council submitted a letter mentioning that some elements of the draft have been unclear and requested a Hindi translation so all members might perceive and talk about it. They stated they would wish not less than a month to overview the translated doc earlier than additional discussions.
Notably, whereas the draft plan states the GNI mission “includes relocation”, the Middle has repeatedly stated the mission wouldn’t “disturb or displace tribes”.
Unclear relocation plans
In keeping with a letter connected to the draft, the plan was ready after Tribal Council leaders demanded a return to ancestral villages on the west coast of GNI that have been destroyed within the 2004 tsunami, after which communities have been shifted to encampments in Rajiv Nagar and New Chingenh close to Campbell Bay.
Nevertheless, the draft plan states, “The mission includes relocation to Rajiv Nagar (32 households, 101 individuals) and New Chingenh (30 households, 117 individuals).”
In a piece, the plan proposes Pulobhabi for “group functions” of residents in Rajiv Nagar, with “shared belongings” to “facilitate periodic visits to ancestral lands”, whereas including, “an possibility shall stay open” for households to return to ancestral villages outdoors the mission space.
For New Chingenh residents, the plan data their need to return to Outdated Chingenh and Pulo Baha, however notes a ultimate resolution shall be taken after assessing land availability and consultations, whereas their present lodging shall be upgraded.
Additional, the plan lists all enumerated households in Rajiv Nagar and New Chingenh (62 households in whole) after which states: “Proposed relocation web site: Pulobhabi, western coast of GNI”.
The tables within the draft add to the paradox: allocations are made for upgrading 62 properties and constructing solely 30 new properties, whereas one other part states everlasting shelters “shall be constructed for all 62 households” — neither half explicitly mentions the place these properties would come up. District authorities haven’t but responded to The Hindu‘s queries on what precisely the plan proposes.
“It isn’t simply Pulobhabi”
A pacesetter of the Tribal Council stated Pulobhabi is only one amongst a number of ancestral village websites, and the proposal lists solely about 13 pre-tsunami Nicobarese villages when there are lots of extra.
In New Delhi on March 20, Nice and Little Nicobar Tribal Council chief Barnabas Manju had stated the group has lengthy demanded a return to all ancestral villages alongside the west coast since displacement in 2004.
Quickly after the mission was granted Stage-I clearance in 2022, the group withdrew their consent, fearing components of it could encroach on their forest lands, together with ancestral villages, stopping their return. Council leaders say the apprehension has solely been exacerbated because the administration has not clearly defined mission boundaries—a grievance the council talked about within the April 1 letter, which famous the map within the draft is “not clear.”
Forest Rights
The Nicobarese communities have alleged that the administration “falsely” licensed that their rights underneath the 2006 Forest Rights Act had been recognized and settled, although the process had by no means been initiated. This was additionally reiterated within the Council’s April 1 letter.
Whereas the draft specifies that its provisions have been drawn up underneath the 2013 Proper to Truthful Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act and the 1956 Safety of Aboriginal Tribes Act, it doesn’t point out something about rights underneath the Forest Rights Act of 2006.
Revealed – April 03, 2026 06:46 pm IST