Indian Navy’s VLF Station: Protest gets stronger to protect Damagundam forest

people from different sections are intensifying their protest against the project and demanding the State government to rethink its permission for the land to the Navy.

Hyderabad: Even as the Indian Navy is preparing for the foundation stone laying ceremony of its Very Low Frequency (VLF) Station at Pudur village under the Damagundam reserve forest block in Vikarabad on Tuesday, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to be the chief guest, people from different sections are intensifying their protest against the project and demanding the State government to rethink its permission for the land to the Navy.

Earlier this year, environmentalist K Purushotham Reddy, Water and Climate change expert BV Subba Rao and Public Policy expert Donthi Narasimha Reddy had alleged that the project, apart from casting an adverse impact on the flora and fauna in the area, would affect the River Musi as well, with the historic river originating from the area. Last month, Ramalingeswara Swamy temple head priest Satyananda Swamy, environmentalist D Satyanarayana, former MLC Prof Nageshwar, film director and producer T Bharadwaj and others had staged a protest at Dharna Chowk in Hyderabad, demanding the State government to revoke the permission for the Navy to take over about 2,900 acres of land in the region.

---

Construction of the VLF station, township, schools, parks in the forests would cast an adverse impact on the local environment, they argued, asking the Centre and State government to hold public discussions on the issue. If ecological balance was not ensured, it would lead to natural calamities, they said.

The State government should keep the environment impact assessment report of the VLF station project in public domain, Prof Nageshwar demanded, adding that the station should be set up only after planting 12 lakh trees and they grow up into a forest. The project would also cast an impact on the water bodies and River Musi, which originates from Vikarabad, CPM State Secretary T Veerabhadram said.

However, the Forest department dismissed the allegations and said there was no truth in the news that 12 lakh trees would be cut for setting up the radar station. In a statement, PCCF RM Dobriyal said of the entire forest land allocated, only 48 percent would be earmarked for the construction of the radar project. All measures would be taken to ensure there was no damage in the remaining 52 percent forest land, he said.

The Forest Advisory Authority attached to the Ministry of Environment, has clarified that only 1,93,562 trees would be removed for the construction of the radar station, the PCCF said, adding that forest department would plant 17,55,070 trees spread over 2,348 hectares of forests in Ranga Reddy and Vikarabad districts.

– 1400 acres required for VLF station, including 1090 acres for technical area and 310 acres for office and residential complex- 1500 acres would be restricted area and fenced off due to the project’s nature

– September 7, 2010: The Commodore, Chief Staff Officer, Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam furnished a proposal for diversion of 2900 acres (1174 hectares)

– March 31, 2011: Principal Chief Conservator of Forests furnishes proposals to the State government

– April 15, 2011: State government writes to Ministry of Environment and Forests for according necessary approval

– January 15, 2014: Ministry accords Stage- I (in principle) approval for diversion of 1174 hectares of Damagundam forest

– Justifying requirement of forest land, ENC says antenna parks would be established by installing antenna mast with 470 m height and transmitting antenna elements spread over an extent of 1.2 km to 1.4 km

– Certain amount of area around the antenna park is earmarked to minimize the radiation hazards etc.