HC halts work on Hyd land till April 3, Centre seeks report from state

Bengaluru: The Telangana high court on Wednesday put a temporary stop to excavation and tree-felling activities on 400 acres of land in Kancha Gachibowli, near the University of Hyderabad campus, following multiple petitions challenging the large-scale clearing of green cover in the area. The development comes amid mounting protests from students and environmental activists, who argue that the land is a crucial ecological habitat.

Meanwhile, the Union environment ministry wrote to the Congress-led Telangana government, seeking a factual report on the state’s “illegal clearing of vegetation on 400 acres of forest land” at Kancha Gachibowli. It also directed the additional chief secretary (forests), Telangana, to take legal action under forest and wildlife laws as applicable.

A division bench comprising acting chief justice Sujoy Paul and justice Renuka Yara issued an interim order staying all land-clearing activities until further hearings on Thursday.

The petitions, filed by environmental organisation Vata Foundation ENPO and retired scientist Kalapala Babu Rao, challenge the Congress dispensation’s implementation of Government Order (GO) 54, which facilitates the transfer of the land to the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) for the development of IT infrastructure.

The petitioners argue that the land should be recognised as a protected ecological zone, highlighting its rich biodiversity, which includes rare flora and fauna such as spotted deer, wild boars, star tortoises, and Indian rock pythons. They further contend that the land, which also features two lakes and unique rock formations, meets the criteria of a reserved forest, irrespective of government records.

Senior counsel S Niranjan Reddy and L Ravichandra, representing the petitioners, cited Supreme Court rulings that stress the identification of forests based on ecological characteristics rather than mere classification on paper.

Defending the state’s decision, advocate general A Sudarshan Reddy argued that the land in question does not fall under the category of forest land and has been earmarked for industrial development.

Given the urgency of the matter, the court adjourned the hearing to 2.15 pm on Thursday, maintaining its directive to halt all excavation and deforestation efforts in the interim.

The issue has triggered widespread protests by green activists and the university students, who have staged sit-ins, boycotted classes, and organised large-scale marches demanding the immediate cessation of land clearance. A protest rally by the students was stopped by the police earlier in the day.

In a letter to the state seeking a factual report, the Union environment ministry said it has come to know about the “illegal felling and removal of vegetation” in Kancha Gachibowli village by 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,” it added.

(With inputs from Jayashree Nandi in Delhi)