At least about 1.2 lakh trees would be felled to make way for the station. The consequences would be further denudation of forest cover. The forest, which has been acting as a natural ventilator to Hyderabad's growing pollution would disappear forever.
Published Sep 30, 2024 | 12:00 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 30, 2024 | 12:00 PM
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy handed over the Damagundam reserve forest land to the Indian Navy in January this year. (Adv Spandana Reddy/X)
There is a significant change in the way political parties are operating these days. The ruling dispensations are thrusting their interests on the people, camouflaging them carefully as projects intended for their welfare.
This is in stark contrast to their style in the past. It used to be very difficult to make governments concede any public demand. There were instances of the governments crushing such movements ruthlessly. Finally, as if doing a favour, they used to throw some crumbs at the people.
These days, you do not have to ask for anything. The ruling dispensations offer on a platter several attractive projects. They are enticing people with offers of future cities, mammoth irrigation projects, pharma villages, 12-lane roads, nuclear plants, and so on.
The governments in return are seeking what they consider a small sacrifice like the land on which the people live, or verdant agriculture farms that provide them livelihood, or lush green forests which keep ecological balance. They are good at convincing people that they are getting the best offer. If a government offers something generously or denies ruthlessness, make no mistake, it means its self-interests are at its core.
As they further their interests, they project themselves as patriots committed to the development of the state, while the people, who refuse to part with their land for the state’s projects, are seen as impediments to the development and progress of civilisation.
In one such predicament lies Damagundam forest in about 2,900 acres in Vikarabad district, about 70 km from Hyderabad through which River Musi flows.
The Indian Navy is setting up a Very Low Frequency (VLF) radar station for defence purposes. The forest is home to lakhs of trees. At least about 1.2 lakh trees would be felled to make way for the station. The consequences would be further denudation of forest cover. The forest, which has been acting as a natural ventilator to Hyderabad’s growing pollution would disappear forever. The Musi River might dry up as development in the form of a VLF radar station materialises.
The VLF station may be important for the Navy to protect the nation’s interests. The people too should strengthen the hands of the people in such initiatives. But at what cost? In the case of Damagundam, the price that is paid is quite high. It will displace people, and wreak havoc with the environment, wildlife, land, water and air. Though the Indian Navy could think of setting up its VLF station elsewhere, it appears it had not made any such attempts.
The proposal to set up the VLF station has been hanging fire for quite a long time. For more than a decade it has been in the works. Though people inhabiting the forest villages were worried about what lay in store for them, by and large, their apprehensions remained muted.
The only voice that used to be heard on the havoc that the naval project would play with the nature and livelihood of people is that of Satyananda Swamy. He has come to be known as Damagundam Swamy. He is the lone voice in the wilderness that has been raising alarm over an environmental catastrophe if the government does not abandon its project.
Recently independent journalist Tulasi Chandu brought into sharper focus the danger that lay inherently to nature by shooting a video. She gave out a call: Save Damagundam from being crushed under the relentless march of the wheels of development.
Save Damagundam Joint Action Committee (JAC) became active once again and organised a protest at Indira Park recently. The opposition parties also woke up and chipped in to strengthen the JAC’s hands.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy handed over the Damagundam reserve forest land to the Indian Navy in January this year. But the seeds for the transfer of the forest land for making way for the setting up of the radar station were sown when the UPA was in power at the Centre.
In 2007, the Indian Navy surveyed the forest land. In 2010, it came out with a proposal for the radar station. As there was a court stay order, except for the transfer of the land, all else was completed. After the stay was vacated, the land was formally transferred to the Navy on 24 January. The works for the location of the radar station are slowly being grounded.
In the past, thousands of acres belonging to Ramalingeswara Swamy temple in Damagundam were transferred to the forest department after declaring it a reserve forest. The transfer took place after the Indian Navy pushed forward its proposal for setting up the radar station.
The officials managed to get the consent of the people living in villages. They sold a dream that they would have a glorious future after the radar station came up to obtain their nod.
Later on, there were protests here and there in the forest as the livelihood of about 60,000 people living in 20 villages came under threat. But their protests remained a little muted, failing to draw the attention of the civilisation. The movement against the radar station soon lost steam as there were no serious issues like the acquisition of farmers’ lands.
It was only when Tulsi Chand flogged it alive that the movement gathered momentum. Though environmental activists and scientists had been warning against meddling with nature, the government couldn’t care less. It was like water off the duck’s skin.
The lack of awareness and foresight is threatening the very existence of the lush green canopy of Damagundam forest. Unfortunately, one would go to an extent to destroy nature if one is assured of some personal gain. Ironically, the same individual curses everyone when he is affected by floods, which are the result of the destruction of nature.
For instance, some partied when GO 111 was scrapped by the previous BRS government. They are aware that GO 111 was brought in to protect the Musi River and ensure the maintenance of ecological balance. But they conveniently overlooked the danger. They were happy that scrapping GO 111 would open the floodgates to the real estate developers which would push up their land prices.
At the same time, others say the removal of encroachments on river banks would help nature while ignoring the fact that they are getting ready to destroy the origin of the very river they want to protect. The birthplaces of the Ganges, Godavari and Krishna are protected as eco-sensitive zones. How come Musi, Eesa and Kagna do not deserve the same treatment?
As the sacrilege of nature continues, the three rivers might disappear into the earth. If it happens the much-touted Fourth City along with Hyderabad would become another Ramagundam.
It has become a fashion for the well-to-do to ridicule those who talk about climate change and the need for the protection of the environment. They are always ready to pounce on those who agitate against any project that is related to the security of the nation. They try to target the very moral legitimacy of the movement.
As a result, national security has become a cover for those who want to use nature to profit from it. Though one cannot question the motive of the government all the time whenever its initiatives run in conflict with the conservation of nature, more often than not, national security comes into the picture to facilitate an attack on the environment.
The recent amendment to the Central Forest Act empowers the Centre to de-reserve forests close to 15,000 km along India’s international border even if they happen to be reserve forests. We have seen the attempt to take away Nicobar Island from the tribals who inhabit the terrain. The idea was to create another Hong Kong for India in the Bay of Bengal. This is nothing but some kind of a red-meat to the natives to make them believe that their lives are going to change for the better overnight.
In return for taking away their forest, about 75 sq km of land would be given to them in return as some kind of compensation. Apart from the development of the island into a business centre, there would be a defence installation too. If you say defence project, how could any oppose it? About eight lakh trees are proposed to be felled in Nicobar island.
Take a look at yet another attempt to kill nature. The centre is planning to set up an Indian Army Maneuver Range after clearing about one lakh acres in Abujhmad forest in Chhattisgarh. The price? About 52 villages would be wiped out.
The land would be levelled. It is not yet known how many trees would have to be sacrificed for this range. Unfortunately, a stage has come where one has to say yes to such defence proposals or one would run the risk of being called with the use of the adjective “urban.”
The trend is disturbing. Forests are being brazenly taken over. The slogan for development is fast acquiring the overtones of communalism. If anyone utters one word against it, one is being painted as an anti-national.
Coming back to Damagundam, the prospect of the destruction of medicinal plants and trees which have been there for hundreds of years should make one’s lungs moan in distress. For this to happen, one should have purity of intent for the protection of nature. The people in the villages in Damagundam are preparing to play Batukamma and resurrect the Chipko movement by clinging to trees to protect the forest.
Let us see where all this will lead.
(K Srinivas is the Editor of Andhra Jyothi, a Telugu daily. Translated with permission. Views are personal. Edited by Majnu Babu).
