With improved technology and a much greater appetite among the young for books to remind them of the wonderful biosphere in which they live, it is heartening to see how many new, high-quality publications are emerging from within India. Here are three books that Sanctuary believes should be in every public library and in the homes of all those whose hearts beat to nature’s drum.
The Great Nicobar Betrayal
Curated by Pankaj Sekhsaria
Published by Frontline
Paperback, 100 pages
Rs. 499
When over a million trees in an untouched rainforest ecosystem could be bulldozed, when an island and its people and biodiversity could be caused irreparable harm, you understand the urgency to talk about it and prevent it, even if it is a compilation of your own work. Such is the case of this book – The Great Nicobar Betrayal – a selection of articles published in Sanctuary Asia, Frontline, The Wire, and The Leaflet, about the follies of the plan laughably dubbed ‘Holistic Development of Great Nicobar Island’.
Last year, the faint stirrings from the Bay of Bengal quickly turned into an entire volume dedicated to the immense biological heritage of the island and the alarming changes it was set to face owing to the ‘development’ plan that is now moving forward at great speed. The articles from the April 2023 issue of Sanctuary Asia, along with contributions from other proficient authors, comprise this timely book curated by Pankaj Sekhsaria.
Despite the project’s staggering cost of Rs. 72,000 crore, information about it remains scattered, and the immensity of the plan and its impact is impossible to gauge without the pieces compiled in the book. The chapters take the reader through the project’s history, ecological concerns, tribal issues, and the legal angle, giving a comprehensive overview of the situation.
Sekhsaria, who has lived in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and authored two books on the Union Territory, contributes two pieces – one on the details of the project, and another focussing on the political involvement in it. The article on the National Green Tribunal’s stand critically examines the green court’s disappointing position on the project. The piece on risk assessment details the threats of seismic activity to the project. ‘Degrees of insularity’ paints a picture of the Indigenous people and their intricate connection with the land. The book also includes pieces on the island’s flora and fauna, a birder’s experiences, and profiles of its two Indigenous communities. The annexures include important letters sent to the authorities; a representation of the widespread objection to the project. The book is useful for students, policy makers, planners, politicians, and for anyone who cares about our planet.
Often, writers, researchers and experts share their findings with the world to prove the social and environmental damage caused by a project, often at great personal risk to their lives, hoping that the planet is protected, justice is upheld, and our future generations are cared for. Such publications are invaluable. They inform the masses, and they may even fuel people’s movements gathering steam to oppose ill-thought plans that will destroy old growth forests and their inhabitants, and the lives of Indigenous people.
Reviewed by Shatakshi Gawade
