Hyderabad: Telangana high court on Wednesday cleared the way for the Indian Navy’s extremely low frequency radar project at Damagundam in Vikarabad district, while continuing to monitor environmental safeguards linked to the project. A bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin, hearing a public interest litigation, said there was no restriction on the project going ahead. The court, however, kept the PIL pending for six months to track the progress of compensatory afforestation. “There is no restraint from carrying out the project by the Indian Navy. The project work may go ahead but the PIL is being kept pending only for the purpose of monitoring the progress report on compensatory afforestation by the forest department in the next six months,” the bench said, posting the matter to Oct 5 for further hearing. The PIL, filed in Feb 2020 by ‘Damagundam Forest Protection JAC-Save Damagundam’, had challenged the allotment of 2,900 acres of reserve forest land to the Navy. Plant survival rateEarlier, the court had appointed amicus curiae Vivek Jain to inspect afforestation efforts and submit a report. Based on visits to sites in Thippapur (Vikarabad district) and Amangal (Rangareddy district), the report assessed plant survival rates and growth, and was found to be satisfactory by the court.The state forest department, through an additional counter affidavit filed by Ch Ravi Kumar, counsel for the chief conservator of forests, Charminar circle, placed on record details of compensatory afforestation undertaken for land diverted for the radar project at Pudur village, about 80 km from Hyderabad.According to the affidavit, the overall survival rate of plantations stood at 89.88%, with 8,23,531 out of 9,16,196 plants surviving during 2024-25 and 2025-26. It added that 92,665 dead plants would be replaced during the 2026-27 monsoon season. The affidavit further outlined plans for additional plantation over 552 hectares in 2026-27 and 29.50 hectares in 2027-28. It also referred to assisted natural regeneration over 1,778 hectares of degraded reserve forest land. ‘Sincere efforts’The court noted the ‘sincere’ afforestation efforts carried out over 688.5 hectares and recorded that 581.5 hectares remained to be covered during 2026-27 and 2027-28. It also took note that maintenance of these plantations would continue for 10 years, with an aim to ensure 100% survival by the end of the period. Counsel for the implead petitioner informed the court that a total of 2,348 hectares of compensatory afforestation was required under stage-2 approval. Taking note of the ongoing process, the court observed that afforestation activities would continue between May and Dec, and adjourned the matter for further hearing.
