Kishan Reddy slams BRS for opposing Naval radar station

Hyderabad, Oct 15 (IANS) Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy on Tuesday slammed Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) for opposing the Indian Navy's radar station coming up in Telangana's Vikarabad district.

He asked BRS leaders if they were protesting against national security and the armed forces.

The Union Minister also denied that the radar station posed any threat to the environment and alleged that the BRS was doing politics over an issue related to national security.

Kishan Reddy addressed a press conference hours before Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was scheduled to lay the foundation for the Indian Navy's Very Low Frequency (VLF) communication transmission station at Puduru in Vikarabad district.

The Union Minister claimed that the BRS government had approved setting up the radar station.

On Monday, BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao said that his party would oppose the radar station as it posed a threat to the ecosystem of the Musi River.

Terming Rama Rao's statement irresponsible, the Union Minister asked the BRS leader if he was protesting against his father K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who had given clearance for the radar station.

The Union Minister said it was a matter of pride for Telangana that it is getting the second radar station of the Navy after Tamil Nadu.

He stated that the Navy identified Damagundam forest as a strategic place to set up the radar station to communicate with ships and submarines.

He also pointed out that out of 2,900 acres of land allotted for the project, there will be no construction activity over 1,500 acres.

On the remaining land, houses will be constructed for experts and Navy staff, according to the Union Minister.

Kishan Reddy also denied the BRS leader's allegation that a large number of trees will be cut down for the project.

He claimed that out of 1.95 lakh trees, only a little over 1,000 trees will be relocated.