The National Alliance of People's Movement (NAPM) has appealed to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to revoke the decision to transfer the Damagundam forest in Vikarabad district to the Indian Navy for the construction of a Very Low Frequency (VLF) radar station.
The project, estimated at Rs 2,500 crore, is slated to affect 1.2 million trees in the Ananthagiri Hills region, raising significant environmental concerns.
Local communities, under the banner of the "Damagundam Forest Protection Joint Action Committee," and environmental activists have voiced strong opposition to the project, highlighting the rich biodiversity of the dense forest, including rare tree varieties and medicinal plants.
The Damagundam forest serves as a crucial catchment area for the Musi River, and its destruction could exacerbate flooding in Hyderabad, according to the NAPM.
The controversy surrounding the project has garnered attention due to its potential environmental impact and the displacement of local communities who depend on the forest for their livelihoods.
The NAPM and other stakeholders are calling for a thorough assessment of the ecological consequences and a reconsideration of alternative locations for the radar project.
