Telangana: ‘Halt navy radar project in Damagundam’ activists to CM

The project, which will require about over 2,900 acres will be inaugurated on October 15.

Hyderabad: Environment activists from Telangana have urged chief minister A Revanth Reddy not to move ahead with navy radar station in the Damagundam forest.

The project, which will require about over 2,900 acres of land, will be inaugurated on October 15. The activist raised concerns over the area of land being donated to the naval project and said, “We would like to express our serious concerns regarding the proposed “Project AMBER” Very Low Frequency (VLF) radar station by the Eastern Naval Command (Indian Navy) within the Damagundam Forest Reserve, over 2,900 acres, for which environmental clearance and forest clearance is supposed to have been accorded by the Union environment ministry way back in 2016 and 2017.”

On behalf of the Save Damagundam Forests Forum, Telangana, the activists explained that Damagundam Reserve Forest is a vital ecological zone, home to diverse flora, fauna and an essential buffer for flood control in the Hyderabad region. The activists noted with great concern that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report of the said Project has not been made public, citing reasons related to “national security”.

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They demanded the disclosure of the EIA report stressing that disclosure of the EIA is critical for assessing the potential environmental and social impacts, particularly in terms of forest degradation, biodiversity loss, groundwater capacity, and the likely impacts on flora, fauns, water bodies as well as local
communities who depend on the forest for their livelihoods.

Furthermore, there is a demand for a public hearing regarding the project being initiated at the Damagundam forests. “The decision to bypass the public hearing requirement, claiming exemption under the Section 7, III Stage (3) 1 (f) of the EIA Notification, 2006, by citing ‘national security concerns’, does not reflect a democratic approach.”

Public hearings are an essential part of the environmental review process, ensuring that all stakeholders, including local communities, environmental groups, and scientific experts, have the opportunity to voice their concerns and provide crucial input.