The Supreme Court has stepped in to address the controversial deforestation of 400 acres of forest land in Kancha Gachibowli, Telangana, following widespread protests by environmentalists and students of the University of Hyderabad (UoH, also known as Hyderabad Central University - HCU).
Today, Wednesday, April 3, the court ordered, “We direct Registrar (Judicial) of Telangana HC to forthwith visit the site in question and submit his interim report by 3.30 pm today. Registrar (Judicial) of this Court to forthwith communicate this order to Registrar (Judicial) of HC, who shall act upon it forthwith," according to LiveLaw.
The Supreme Court’s intervention, aligning with its 1996 ruling in Ashok Kumar Sharma vs Union of India, comes after the Telangana High Court halted tree felling on April 2, 2025.
Reports further indicate authorities exploited long weekend holidays, Ugadi and Eid to speed up the deforestation, prompting further criticism.
The land allocated to the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TIIC) in 2024 for IT infrastructure development at 75 crore per acre has sparked outrage due to its ecological significance.
Petitioners and Hyderabad Central University students argue that the area, home to rare species and eight scheduled animals, should be declared a national park under the Wildlife Protection Act.
Furthermore, environmentalists warn of severe consequences, including soil erosion, water pollution, and biodiversity loss in this sensitive region.
Meanwhile, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders have filed complaints alleging violations of the Wildlife Protection and Forest Conservation Acts.
