PRELIMS BITS
The Shompens, an indigenous tribe of the Great Nicobar Islands, face existential threats due to government-led infrastructure projects, notably the Great Nicobar Project.
About the Shompens
- A Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in India.
- Population: 229 (2011 Census).
- Dependent on tropical forests for sustenance, with a diet primarily of pandanus, seafood, and wild game.
Impact of the Great Nicobar Project
- Proposes infrastructure development, including:
- An international container terminal.
- A greenfield airport.
- Power plants.
- Requires 166.10 sq km of land, encroaching on 130.75 sq km of forest.
- Threatens traditional land use, matrilineal culture, and kinship systems.
- Risks increased disease exposure and disruption from outsider contact.