The Congress on Monday (October 5, 2026) welcomed the Supreme Court rejecting the Centre’s challenge to a Calcutta High Court order which upheld the maintainability of a PIL alleging violations of the Forest Rights Act in obtaining consent for the Great Nicobar Island project, and said the flame of hope for ecological wisdom still flickers.
“This is to be welcomed. The Congress party has repeatedly criticised the project, arguing that the proposed transhipment port at Galathea Bay could trigger large-scale ecological damage, including destruction of coral colonies. Mr.
Now the matter will be taken up as originally scheduled in the Calcutta High Court on November 25-26. Ramesh has also urged Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to reconsider the rejection of a full expansion of the INS Baaz runway and has asked Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram to ensure that the provisions of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 are implemented in both letter and spirit.
Reacting to the development, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the Supreme Court has just rejected the Narendra Modi government’s ploy and plea. The flame of hope for ecological wisdom still flickers,” the former Environment Minister said on X. Last week, the Congress had slammed the Modi government for its “astonishing U-turn” of moving the Supreme Court to stay all proceedings in the Calcutta High Court on petitions against the Great Nicobar Island Project, and alleged that it is mindlessly going ahead with inflicting an “ecological disaster” on the country.
