The establishment of a Very Low Frequency (VLF) radar station in the Damagundam forests has sparked concern among environmentalists. They warn that this development could spell the end of the Musi River.
The Musi originates from Ananthagiri in Vikarabad, a region surrounded by the Damagundam and Ananthagiri forests, It forms into a river through a series of springs and small water bodies. These vital sources, they fear, are now at risk of drying up due to the radar project, threatening the river’s very existence.
Environmentalists caution that the radar station’s presence could lead to the disappearance of water sources and a severe depletion of underground water levels, putting the survival of the Musi River in jeopardy. Despite previous plans, the BRS government under KCR withheld land allotment for the radar center for over a decade.
Although the central government has reportedly exerted pressure to proceed with the project, the BRS government has refrained from handing over the land. Concerns go beyond the river’s survival, with environmentalists warning that radiation from the radar station could have devastating effects on the local ecosystem.
Around 258 bird species, as well as wildlife such as deer, wild boars, and various forest resources valued at lakhs of crores, could be destroyed. Environmentalists argue that setting up the radar station would be an environmentally disastrous decision.