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Hyderabad: Just two months after defence minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone for the Very-Low Frequency (VLF) Radar Project in Damagundam forest, Vikarabad, the Telangana High Court appointed an amicus curiae to assist in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the project.
The PIL, filed by the Damagundum Forest Protection JAC ‘Save Damagundam’ group, seeks to halt the land allotment for the radar project and review the status of afforestation efforts by the forest department.
According to Ram Challa Kalyan, one of the petitioners, the original petition was filed four years ago, with a subsequent appeal for status made six months ago. “We welcome the appointment of an amicus curiae as they act as a neutral legal advisor to the court. Their independent insights and expertise can ensure a fair decision, which is what we are striving for,” he stated.
The Indian Navy, which is overseeing the VLF radar project, asserted that it has not received any official communication from the high court or the appointed amicus curiae. Captain GM Rao, who is leading the project, clarified that no trees are being cut for the construction. “We are focusing on translocation instead. So far, 87 trees were successfully translocated,” he said.
Meanwhile, amicus curiae Vivek Jain refrained from commenting on the issue until his examination of the matter is complete.
