HYDERABAD: Hundreds of students at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) staged a protest on Thursday against the state government’s decision to auction 400 acres of land, which is reportedly an urban forest in Kancha Gachibowli, next to the UoH campus.
The government made this decision for infrastructure development through the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC).
Over 500 students, led by the Students’ Union, marched towards the land that has been put up for auction.
The students condemned the decision and demanded that the auction be stopped immediately as the move would bring destruction to the environment, biodiversity, education and wildlife in the forest area. They stated that the land is an urban forest and any development would disrupt the ecology of the area.
Speaking to TNIE, the Students’ Union general secretary Nihal Sulaiman said, “This is not the first time that any land belonging to UoH has been given out for auction. Earlier, land had also been given to various institutions and private parties. If this continues, the university will hardly have any campus left.”
He added, “Moreover, the land to be auctioned has flora and fauna; destroying it will disturb the ecological balance in the university campus, which has a pleasant atmosphere and ample water.”
The land was earlier allotted to IMG Academies Bharata, which failed to fulfil the development obligation, with the High Court ruling in favour of the government, permitting it to auction the land.
The Students’ Union said that it will further intensify the protest with a Joint Action Committee (JAC), Teachers’ Union, and Workers’ Union.
Wildlife enthusiasts such as Climate Front Hyderabad also condemned the move. It said that the land, valued at `10,000 crore, was being sold under the pretext of revenue generation and infrastructure development, disregarding its crucial ecological significance.
“Kancha Gachibowli is a crucial ecological zone, home to 237 bird species, including migratory birds and wild animals like the Indian Star Tortoise, Spotted Deer, Indian Rock Python, and Monitor Lizards. It is one of Hyderabad’s last remaining urban forests and provides a continuous habitat for these species. It acts as a green lung, and we demand that the government cancel the auction immediately and focus on protecting and restoring the forest,” the group said.