Save Damagundam Forests Forum sends SOS to state, Centre over Vikarabad VLF Radar Station

Hyderabad: Protests have been planned in all the districts of Telangana on October 14th to protest against the construction of Navy Radar Project in Damagundam Forest which is an ecologically sensitive region. A group of concerned citizens and activists from Telangana have written to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Union Minister for Environment, Forests Bhupender Yadav, flagging environmental concerns over setting up a radar station in Damagundam Reserve Forest.

In a letter, Damagundam Adavi Parirakshana Vedika (Save Damagundam Forests Forum) appealed for the immediate halt of the proposed Very Low Frequency (VLF) Radar Station in the Damagundam Reserve Forest in Vikarabad district.

Being at an estimated cost of Rs 2,500 crore, the VLF Radar Station has been proposed by the Eastern Naval Command (ENC), Vishakhapatnam. It aims to communicate with ships and submarines using low-frequency radio waves.

2,900 acres of forest land to be cleared

According to ground reports, project threatens the ecological balance of the region and could have serious environmental consequences. Damagundam Forest which is about 80 km from Hyderabad is very rich in bio-diversity and has rare tree varieties, especially medicinal plants. This area also serves as the Musi River catchment zone. The project would necessitate the cutting down of approximately 12 lakh trees to clear 2,900 acres of forest land. This area includes 1,400 acres for Antenna Park, 1,090 acres for technical areas, 310 acres for official and residential complexes, and 100 acres designated as a ‘safe zone’ for radiation hazards.

Protest across Telangana

Environmentalists and climate change activists are to protest on October 14 at the office of the district collectors in Telangana. A memorandum is also to be given to chief minister of Telangana Revanth Reddy and union environment ministry demanding that the said Navy Radar Project should not be constructed in the Damagundam Forest or in any ecologically sensitive region.

Environmental damage to affect Hyderabad

The long-term environmental repercussions of the project pose significant risks to the State and its people. The area serves as a crucial catchment zone, and its destruction could exacerbate flooding in Hyderabad. For over a decade, the Damagundam Forest Protection Joint Action Committee and environmentalists have raised serious concerns about the impact of the project.

In the letter, the signatories highlight that the project is scheduled to be inaugurated on October 15. However, the group said the work has already begun without following the necessary legal processes. The members have pointed out that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report has not been made public. No public hearing has been conducted, and several required approvals are missing.

The citizens and activists made three key demands:

First, they urge the Eastern Naval Command to suspend the project until a proper EIA is conducted, a public hearing is held, alternative sites are explored, and valid approvals, including the Consent to Establish from the Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB), are obtained.

Second, they call for the immediate release of the EIA report for the VLF Radar Station in both English and Telugu, to be made accessible both online and offline, particularly in the affected areas, within the next 30 days.

Third, they demand a transparent public hearing that allows local communities, environmentalists, and other stakeholders to raise their concerns and seek clarifications regarding the project’s potential social and environmental impacts.

What are warnings?

The lives of around 60,000 people across 20 villages would be adversely affected, along with the livelihoods of small farmers and cattle grazers dependent on the forest. The forest’s destruction would also impact local rivers, such as the Musi and Kagna, through increased soil erosion.

Experts have warned of potential health risks associated with radiation from the project and increased pollen concentrations resulting from deforestation, which could lead to respiratory disorders among residents, including those in Hyderabad. The region is also home to the historically and religiously significant Bugga Ramalingeswara Swamy temple, which is also affected by this project.