HC seeks afforestation report on Navy radar project in Vikarabad

Hyderabad: Telangana high court on Wednesday directed the state forest department to submit a detailed report on afforestation work undertaken in connection with the Indian Navy's extreme low frequency radar project at Damagundam in Vikarabad district. The court said the report must include details of areas identified for planting, the number of saplings planted, their survival rate and other related information. A bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin issued the directions while hearing a PIL filed by the Damagundam forest protection joint action committee. The petition challenges the land allocation for the project and seeks compensatory afforestation to offset its impact on local biodiversity. The court granted four weeks for authorities to file the report. It also requested amicus curiae Vivek Jain to visit the afforestation sites and submit an independent assessment. The case has been posted for further hearing on April 2. During the hearing, additional solicitor general B Narsimha Sharma informed the bench that the ministry of environment, forest and climate change had filed an affidavit stating that the Eastern Naval Command had complied with mandatory stage-II clearances. The ENC also submitted an affidavit saying it had released funds to the state for afforestation and had exceeded the required compliance norms. 9L saplings planted: GovtThe state govt told the court that around nine lakh saplings have already been planted across 600 acres in Vikarabad and Rangareddy districts. However, the petitioners disputed this claim, alleging that the progress appears satisfactory on paper but not on the ground. After recording the submissions of all parties, the bench issued the directions and adjourned the matter for further hearing.