HYDERABAD: The meeting between Defence Ministry officials and Chief Secretary SK Joshi on Thursday comes at an interesting time. In wake of the Defence Ministry has refused to give its lands in the city to the State government, this meeting assumes much significance.
Sources said Athul Kumar Jain, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Naval Command Vice-Admiral, in his meeting with the chief secretary, will speak on the State government giving the Navy 2,934 acres of reserve forest land in Damagundam in Vikarabad district. It would be used to set up a low-frequency radar tracking communication centre which is expected to cost Rs 1,800 crore. The Navy had requested for this land around five years ago.
The Navy, in September 2014, had agreed to relocate a 400-year-old Siva temple that is located in the land it seeks from the government. The government had also put forth a condition to the Navy, that it should maintain the Sri Ramalingeswara Swamy temple as it would continue to remain in the land. Navy officials had agreed to this condition too.
However, whether the State government will agree to hand over the land to the Navy remains to be seen. The Defence Ministry had refused to oblige the government’s request for Bison Polo lands. The government had planned to build a new Secretariat there. It stands on the issue will be clear only after the meeting.