In January 2024, the Telangana government transferred 2,900 acres of forest land within the Damagundam Reserve Forest in Vikarabad district to the Indian Navy for the establishment of a Very Low Frequency (VLF) radar communication station. However, the defence project has triggered severe opposition from environmentalists and local residents.
The land lies at the heart of the Ananthagiri Hills - a biodiversity-rich tract forming the catchment zone for the Musi river, which provides water to Hyderabad’s metropolitan region. Locals, including farmers, forest-dependent families, and shepherding communities, assert that the forest sustains their livelihoods through grazing, collection of non-timber forest produce, and traditional occupations. The forest also holds cultural significance, with over a dozen local shrines and sites of community worship.
The project was reportedly conceptualised in 2010 and the Telangana government's Forest and Environment Department gave the clearance to transfer 2,900 acres of land at Dhamagundam Forest area for the project in 2017.
Nearly 12 lakh trees would have to be axed to make way for the project in the reserve forest land of Damagundam. The proposed project area of 2,900 acres of forest land includes 1400 acres for the Antenna Park, 1090 acres for technical areas, 310 acres for official, residential complexes and 100 acres of ‘safe zone’ for radiation hazard. Estimates suggest that at least 60,000 people living in across 20 villages are lives would be impacted, over time.
In 2020, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed before the Telangana High Court by Damagundam Forest Protection Joint Action Committee (DFPJAC) and Hyderabad-based environmental lawyers, seeking a stay on land transfer and tree felling, whilst an order for land allocation was issued by Telangana government back in 2017. The petitioners expressed concerns over compliance regarding compensatory afforestation, stating that although Rs 2,057 crore had been allocated to the fund, the government has not yet assigned any lands for this purpose.
In October 2025, the court directed the Union Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and Telangana Forest Department to file detailed affidavits explaining compliance with statutory procedure under Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act.
The transfer of forest land triggered protest by community members who claimed that the forest clearance and diversion process took place without conducting the mandatory public consultation or Gram Sabha deliberation under the Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022. Hundreds of villagers participated in road marches, alleging violations of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
On 26 July 2024, community representatives condemned the handing over of land to the Indian Navy and demanded the Chief Minister of Telangana to “rescind the transfer order and restore the forest for public and ecological use.” The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), joined by the Jala Sadhana Samithi, sent formal communications to the Chief Secretary and the Ministry of Defence highlighting procedural irregularities in bypassing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) protocols and failing to notify affected villages. Citizen groups have asked the project be moved to the second site identified by the Navy for the radar project, which is located in Kolar Gold Fields in Kolar district, Karnataka. They have also called for the release of the project’s Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report that has remained classified for reasons of national security.
Meanwhile, the Telangana government defended the project, stating that the radar station was of “strategic importance for India’s maritime security,” and clarified that “no villages would be displaced.” On 15 October 2024, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone for the project.
The matter is currently pending before a Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh. The Telangana High Court’s next hearing is scheduled for January 2026, and the protest committees have declared their intention to escalate to the National Green Tribunal if deforestation continues. The outcome of this case may establish a critical precedent on the limits of strategic land diversion in ecologically sensitive areas like the Deccan plateau.
Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Demand to cancel the project
Opposition against environmental degradation
Demand to retain/protect access to common land/resources
Complaint against procedural violations
Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Region Classification
Rural
Type of Land
Common
Forest
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)
Status of Project
Project underway despite protests
Original Project Deadline
Whether the Project has been Delayed
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Religious/Sacred/Cultural value, Other environmental services, Grazing, Water bodies
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
Source/Reference
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
2500
Type of investment:
Investment Made
Year of Estimation
2024
Has the Conflict Ended?
No
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Forest and Scheduled Area Governance Laws, Environmental Law, Environmental Law
Legislations/Policies Involved
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute
No
What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?
What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?
Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:
Controversial land acquisition by the government
Violation of free prior informed consent
Non-payment of compensation/promised compensation
Legal Status:
In Court
Status of Case In Court
Pending
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
Name of the adjudicatory body
Name(s) of the Court(s)
Telangana High Court
Case Number
W.P. (PIL).No.44 of 2020
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
Reported Details of the Violation:
Date of Violation
Location of Violation
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
The Union of India; Telangana State Biodiversity Board; Telangana State Pollution Control Board
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
Indian Navy's Eastern Naval Command
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
No
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
N/A
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM); Damagundum Forest Protection JAC; Jala Sadhana Samithi
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
