Tarun Karthick
Campbell Bay, 28 November 2025
Ex-servicemen settler families and residents from Shastri Nagar and Gandhi Nagar villages of Great Nicobar have come together to form a unified body to negotiate fair compensation and entitlements in connection with the ongoing land acquisition for the proposed Greenfield International Airport under the Great Nicobar Island Project.
A public meeting attended by villagers and members of the ex-servicemen settler families was held on 27 November 2025 at Gandhi Nagar Community Hall from 6:00 pm onwards, where concerns surrounding the acquisition process and ongoing survey were discussed at length.
Currently, a door-to-door survey and census is underway in the two revenue villages to identify individuals and families impacted by the acquisition. The exercise has been initiated under Section 16 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013, following the issuance of a preliminary notification by the District Collector.
During the meeting, several villagers expressed dissatisfaction regarding the ongoing survey process, citing inconsistencies and procedural concerns. Participants unanimously agreed on the need for a collective platform to ensure fair representation before the Andaman & Nicobar Administration and the Central Government.
Following deliberations, an association titled ‘Dependents and Ex-Servicemen Forum for Equitable Negotiation, Compensation & Entitlements – Great Nicobar Island’ (Acronym: DEFENCE-GNI) was formally constituted. The body aims to represent the interests of affected households of permanent residents, particularly ex-servicemen settler families who were originally brought to the Great Nicobar Island under rehabilitation scheme.
The association will advocate for fair compensation for acquired land, rehabilitation measures, and additional entitlements that reflect both the historical significance and present dependency of families on the acquired lands. It will also take up procedural issues related to the ongoing census and survey with relevant authorities.
DEFENCE-GNI includes representation from both elected Panchayati Raj Institution members and the general public. Village-level committees have also been set up to monitor documentation, survey and census processes, and local developments related to acquisition proceedings.
The elected office bearers of the association are:
- President: E. S. Rajesh
- Vice-President: Gregory Tirkey
- General Secretary: N. Kiran
- Joint Secretary: Prahlad Singh
- Treasurer: Rajan Singh
- Legal Advisor: Sri Ram Singh
- Spokesperson: Tarun Karthick
Village representatives for Shastri Nagar include Mr. Shankar, Mr. Mansingh Rawat, Mr. Ravindran Nair, Ms. Priyanka, Mr. Balram Singh, and Ms. Champawathi. Representatives for Gandhi Nagar are Paras Kumar, Aayappan, Udaya Kumar, Rajani, and Gloria.
Speaking after the meeting, office bearers stated that the association will begin engagement with authorities immediately to ensure transparency, clarity, and protection of rights throughout the acquisition process.
While residents and ex-servicemen settler families have clarified that they are not opposing the Great Nicobar Island Project or the ongoing land acquisition process for Greenfield International Airport Project, they emphasised that the development must go hand-in-hand with adequate compensation, fair entitlements, and proper safeguards to ensure that affected families are not left disadvantaged.
