Hyderabad: Residents of villages, Pudur, Damagundem, Kotapur and Gudpally are worried about deforestation which looks eminent once the navy construction starts on forest land since they depend heavily on these forests for cattle grazing and other things.
The villagers’ objection also centres on the effect of the transfer on a 400-year-old Ramalingeshwara temple located in the reserve forest area with which many sentiments are attached. The temple has a small water body which is the main source of water for cattles in the village. Hundreds of devotees from neighbouring villages and from Vikarabad and Hyderabad visit the temple during major festivities like Shivaratri and Ugadi for the holy water.
Naval authorities, however, promised not to disturb the temple or the water body. The Navy authorities will provide access to the place through the establishment for daily rituals and for devotees especially in Ugadi and Shivaratri.
Narsimha Chary the temple priest from Pudur village said, “We villagers had to accept the promises as we don’t have any other option though we see a big loss of the forest and our temple along with the water body. Though the authorities concerned promised us, they may deny the visits after a few months citing security reasons’’.
P. Satish Kumar a farmer from Pudur Village said, “We demanded employment for at least 200 villagers. The naval authorities promised to give third grade jobs to our villagers’’.
