Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy tweeted today, Thursday, April 3, that a committee will be formed including Bhatti Vikramarka, Deputy Chief Minister of Telangana; D Sridhar Babu, Minister of Information Technology (IT) and Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, Minister of Information and Public Relations who will be consulting with Hyderabad Central University (HCU) executive committee; Joint Action Committee (JAC), civil society groups, student delegation and all stakeholders as well. This will be done to "resolve and give a way forward in Kanche Gachibowli land issue".
What started as a property dispute between a central university and Telangana government became a national issue, with all eyes on the 400-acre land in Kancha Gachibowli.
Students, student leaders, environmental activists, political parties and even celebrities have spoken in support of the students of Hyderabad Central University, calling on the government to halt the land’s deforestation and proposed auction.
The issue began when the Government of Telangana announced that the land would be auctioned for the development of infrastructure and IT projects through the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC).
Environmentalists point out that the 400-acre land, located adjacent to the Hyderabad Central University, is one of the last remaining forests in a city whose green cover is already shrinking.
The land also hosts a thriving biodiverse ecosystem, which includes ecologically sensitive areas such as Buffalo and Peacock Lakes, and the Mushroom Rock formation.
Several endangered species, such as the Monitor Lizard, Indian Rock Python, Hispid Hare, Peafowl and the rare Four-Horned Antelope — which are all protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972) — have found home on the land.
