Telangana High Court Halts Clearing of 400-Acre Green Cover Near UoH

GUWAHATI: The Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to immediately suspend the cutting of a 400-acre green cover adjacent to the University of Hyderabad (UoH) until Thursday's next hearing.

The order came amidst continuing protests by students and teachers against the government's move to auction the land in Kancha Gachibowli for the development of IT parks.

More than 50 earth-moving machines have been deployed since Sunday to clear vegetation and trees from the site, which has a rich diversity of flora and fauna. Protests turned violent on Wednesday morning as police dispersed a teachers' union and students' JAC organized march with force.

The students tried to move to the spot, but barricades kept them off. Protesters claimed that even after their protest, tree cutting went on for the third day in a row, and in response, students boycotted classes and called for the withdrawal of police personnel and excavators from the site.

The High Court division bench, consisting of Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Renuka Yara, was considering petitions filed by the NGO Vata Foundation and activist Kalapala Babu Rao.

The petitioners contended that while the land is not formally defined as a forest, it is of great ecological importance, with lakes, rock outcrops, and wildlife. They alleged that deforestation went against Supreme Court verdicts, the Forest Conservation Act, and Forest Conservation Rules.

The Advocate General of the state rebutted the allegations, informing that the land was sold to a private sports management firm in 2003 and had always been meant for industrial purposes. He asserted that it was never categorized as forest land. But the court ordered a stoppage of all operations on the property until the next hearing.

Environmentalists, ecologists, and members of civil society have been in strong opposition to the auction of the land. Dr. G. Haragopal, a rights activist and former professor of UoH, was critical of the government's move, stating that development does not allow for the destruction of the environment.

He pointed out that even though UoH is not legally entitled to the land, it has moral ownership as it was among the 2,300 acres earmarked for the university by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the 1970s.

Yet another ex-professor, Dr. D Narasimha Reddy, highlighted the importance of sustainable development in that preserving present-day ecosystems is important since replacement ecosystems cannot be created artificially. He maintained that the issue cannot be posed as development versus the environment, but as development and environmental protection.

Meanwhile, UoH Vice-Chancellor Professor Basuthkar Jagadeeshwar Rao addressed the protesting students, emphasizing the need to secure the university’s land. He revealed that the executive council had resolved to push for the official transfer of ownership from the state government to prevent further encroachments.

On Wednesday, the student union members also met Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and presented a formal representation on the matter. With public outrage mounting along with legal intervention, the future of the 400-acre green cover is uncertain as the state waits for further court proceedings.

ALSO READ:

ALSO WATCH: