India, Feb. 17 -- The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has held that adequate environmental safeguards have been provided in the environmental clearance granted to the Great Nicobar Holistic Development project and that there is no good ground for it to interfere in what is a project of "strategic importance".

The clearance paves the way for the Rs.81,834.22 crore project that comprises an international container transshipment terminal, an international airport, a power plant and a township, although the petitioners have the option of appealing the tribunal's order in the Supreme Court.

The project requires 166.10 sq km of land, of which 130.75 sq km is forest land and 84.10 sq km is tribal land.

In a 26-page order issued on Monday, NGT s...