Telangana HC Permits Indian Navy to Proceed With ELF Radar Project at Damagundam

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Wednesday permitted the Indian Navy to proceed with its Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) radar project proposed at Damagundam in Vikarabad district, while deciding to keep a close watch on the implementation of environmental safeguards linked to the project.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G.M. Mohiuddin made it clear that there would be no restriction on the execution of the project. The court chose to keep the public interest litigation (PIL) pending for six months solely to monitor the progress of compensatory afforestation being undertaken by the forest department. The matter has been posted to October 5 for a review.

The PIL was filed in 2020 challenging the allotment of around 2,900 acres of reserve forest land for the defence project. During the course of hearings, the court had appointed an amicus curiae to inspect the afforestation efforts and submit an independent report.

Based on field visits to plantation sites in Vikarabad and neighbouring Rangareddy district, the amicus report indicated that the survival rate and growth of saplings were satisfactory. The court took note of these findings while assessing the compliance measures.

The forest department, in its affidavit, informed the court that nearly 90 per cent of the saplings planted over the past two years had survived. It also outlined plans to replace dead plants during the upcoming monsoon and expand plantation activity across additional areas in the next two planting seasons.

Further, the department highlighted ongoing efforts such as assisted natural regeneration in degraded forest areas and large-scale plantation drives. The court recorded that significant progress had been made, though a portion of the afforestation target still remains to be completed in the coming years.

Observing that afforestation over such a vast area is a continuing process, the bench acknowledged the timelines involved and emphasised the need for sustained monitoring. The case will now remain under the court’s supervision to ensure that the environmental commitments tied to the project are fully met.