SC Stays Tree Felling In Telangana Amid Massive Protests. What Are Hyderabad University Students Demanding?
The Supreme Court halted deforestation in Kancha Gachibowli near the University of Hyderabad amid protests, directing the Telangana government to stop tree felling for IT development.
The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the deforestation drive at the biodiversity-rich Kancha Gachibowli area near University of Hyderabad amid massive protests.
Taking note of tree felling, the top court directed the Telangana government to ensure no tree felling in the area. In the order, the apex court noted that the “news items shows that the authorities, taking advantage of long holidays over the weekend, have rushed through in felling the trees". Additionally, the forest is said to be home to eight species of scheduled animals," read the order, as reported by Bar & Bench.
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The case concerns a 400-acre parcel of land in Kancha Gachibowli village, which the State proposes to auction through the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Ltd., Hyderabad (TGIIC) to develop IT infrastructure.
Earlier, the Telangana High Court had directed the Congress government to halt all the works in this regard until April 3.
The petitioners also challenged the state government’s decision to allot the land to the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC), claiming it violated the Forest Conservation Act.
A petitioner’s counsel argued that the flora and fauna within the 400-acre site—whether it belongs to HCU or the state government—would be lost due to the “narrow economic interests" of the authorities.
Why Are Hyderabad Students Protesting?
The University of Hyderabad Students’ Union (UoHSU), along with other allied unions and parties, has initiated an indefinite protest and announced a boycott of classes starting April 1. They are demanding the removal of police personnel from the campus and the withdrawal of earth-moving machinery from the land.
Student groups and environmental activists oppose the proposed development work at the site due to concerns about ecological conservation. The protests intensified on March 31, with the government asserting that the land parcel belongs to it, not the university. However, the Hyderabad University Registrar disputed the government’s claim that the boundary of the disputed land had been finalised.
Who Owns Kancha Gachibowli Land & Why Govt Wants It
The state government maintains that it is a government land and is utilising it to develop IT parks to provide jobs for youth.
On March 30, TGIIC initiated development work at the Kancha Gachibowli site as per a government order. On March 31, the TGIIC stated that it had established its ownership of the land in court and that University of Hyderabad, a central university, does not own any portion of the land.
With the consent of the University of Hyderabad Registrar, a survey of the land was conducted in July 2024 in the presence of the university officials for identification of boundaries. “The officials finalised the boundaries on the same day," the TGIIC said. However, the University of Hyderabad said no survey was conducted in July 2024 by the revenue authorities in the campus to demarcate the 400 acres of land resumed by the state government in 2006. The only action taken thus far has been a preliminary inspection of the land’s topography, UoH Registrar Devesh Nigam said in a statement.
Centre Seeks Factual Report From Telangana
The Union Environment Ministry has requested a factual report from the Telangana government regarding the “illegal clearing of vegetation on 400 acres of forest land" in the state. Additionally, the ministry has instructed Telangana’s additional chief secretary (forests) to take legal action under the relevant forest and wildlife laws.
“The ministry has come to know about the illegal felling and removal of vegetation in Kancha Gachibowli Village, Ranga Reddy district of Telangana by the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC). There have also been various news reports in the print and social media in this regard alleging damage to the wildlife found in the said land, its lakes and the unique rock formations in the area," the ministry said in a letter on Wednesday.
What Political Parties Saying On Issue?
Calling out the Revanth Reddy government over the issue, BRS Working President KT Rama Rao said that the land belongs to the people of Hyderabad. KTR also announced that an big ecological park will be built on the land after the BRS returns to power in the state.
“We are just asking Revanth Reddy not to undo the good works done by the KTR government… Despite the students’ protests, Revanth Reddy is behaving like a monarch… The state govt has become a joke… We will be back in power and will build the biggest Eco Park there that will be accessible to the people and the students… Where is Rahul Gandhi? Why is he silent on the issue of students’ protests? The chief minister works as a broker, and he sells the land that belongs to the people to real estate agents. Isn’t it Rahul Gandhi’s responsibility to control the CM?" he asked.
BJP MLA Payal Shankar said that 400 acres of land belongs to the government, but that doesn’t mean the government has the power to sell it. “Today, students and environmentalists are demanding 400 acres of land for the university, but why is the government not listening to them?… The government can bring money from wherever it wants, but it cannot generate another land adjacent to the university. They should withdraw their thoughts of selling that 400 acres of land," he said.
However, Telangana Minister Sridhar Babu refuted opposition’s allegations and said the government has not acquired or forcefully taken one inch of University land.
Congress leader Kota Neelima said, “The facts have been made clear by many cabinet ministers of the Telangana government repeatedly over the last two days. The fact has been made clear before everyone that the land belongs to the government and also that the Supreme Court has given orders, after which, the action is being taken… Students who were peacefully protesting, how did they get politicised? Why are BJP and BRS playing politics with the youth and students of HCU? The only way forward is a debate… They are only creating a crisis in which ordinary citizens and students will be the victims."
(With inputs from PTI, ANI)
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