In a significant development, the Supreme Court (SC)-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has recommended that the 400-acre land at Kancha Gachibowli in Hyderabad be designated as forest land and placed under the stewardship of the Forest Department.
The panel submitted its report to the apex court today, Thursday, May 15, 2025, as reported by The Hindu.
The CEC has further urged the Telangana government to declare the area a Conservation Reserve under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, to safeguard its ecological integrity.
Forest cover higher than state average
Citing a study by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), the committee highlighted the presence of substantial forest cover in the area — 56 per cent of the land was found to have forest characteristics before deforestation began.
The FSI categorised the vegetation cover as follows:
Very dense forest: 7.08%
Moderately dense forest: 31.89%
Open forest: 17.17%
These numbers far exceed Telangana’s overall forest density figures, where very dense forests make up only 1.44%, moderately dense forests 7.99%, and open forests 9.5%. Within the Hyderabad urban zone, these percentages are even lower.
The CEC emphasised that this parcel of land is rich in biodiversity and structurally complex, forming a vital green lung in an otherwise densely populated urban expanse. It stressed that the area merits "the highest level of protection" as a deemed forest or conservation reserve.
Restoration, replantation urged
In light of the clearance work already initiated by the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) for a proposed land auction, the committee has called for urgent restoration efforts. These include:
- Dense plantation of native trees and shrubs
- Soil and moisture conservation initiatives
These measures should be undertaken during the upcoming monsoon season to restore the land’s ecological balance.
The report also recommended reconstituting the Expert Committee for Forest Land Identification in Telangana, suggesting a more holistic composition that includes ground-level forest officers, ecologists, remote sensing professionals, and survey agencies.
Governance and oversight mechanisms
To ensure transparency and coordination, the CEC proposed the formation of a high-level interdepartmental committee.
This body should include:
The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests
Chief Commissioner of Land Administration
Representatives from land-owning departments
Legal experts and ecologists
The committee would be responsible for finalising criteria for identifying forest and institutional lands and ensuring compliance with Supreme Court directives.
