Activists and locals rally against Navy radar station in Telangana’s Damagundam forest

Environmentalists demand relocation of project over concerns for state’s water supply, deforestation
Damagundam Reserve Forest
Damagundam Reserve ForestBy special arrangement
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Citizens and activists are calling for the relocation of the very low frequency (VLF) radar station, proposed by the Indian Navy in the Damagundam reserve forest of Vikarabad district, Telangana, due to concerns about its impact on the environment and the region’s water supply.

Protests have erupted over the potential deforestation in the area and the effect on local water sources, with demonstrators urging the government to relocate the project to a more suitable location. A series of protests and discussions led by activist groups took place last week, ahead of the planned stone-laying ceremony for the project on October 15.

Environmentalists have warned that deforestation linked to the project could disrupt water flows to the Esi, Musi and Kagna rivers, which serve as crucial water sources for eastern Telangana. Water from the Ananthagiri hills, located in the region, flows eastward via Pudur and Sivareddipet, while the Kagna river connects from the west, creating an essential catchment system.

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Damagundam Reserve Forest

Environmental campaigner BV Subbarao stressed the significance of the forested area as a catchment zone, warning that its destruction would have disastrous environmental consequences. 

Ram Kalyan Challa, a petitioner in a public interest litigation (PIL) filed in 2020 with the Telangana High Court, said the central government first proposed acquiring the land for the radar station in 2010. According to Challa, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests began the clearance process in consultation with state authorities. 

Court submissions revealed that under the Stage-2 clearance for compensatory afforestation against the project, a total of 1.17 million trees were to be planted. However, Challa pointed out that neither the six respondents in the PIL nor the government had ever provided clear information on how many trees would actually be cut down for the project.

In its 2020 response, the government stated that of the 2,900 acres being acquired, 1,400 acres would be used for the project itself, while 1,500 acres would act as a buffer zone to meet radiation and security requirements.

Challa also highlighted the lack of a public hearing on the project, a situation that has angered locals and fuelled demands for greater transparency. 

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Damagundam Reserve Forest

“The government has promised to build check dams and artificial catchment areas,” Challa said. “But they have ignored the hundreds of natural springs and streams that supply water to Hyderabad and other parts of the state.”

Citizen groups have asked the project be moved to the second site identified by the Navy for the radar project, which is located in Kolar Gold Fields in Kolar district, Karnataka. They have also called for the release of the project’s Environment Impact Assessment report that has remained classified for reasons of national security.

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