HYDERABAD: In a significant development centred around the ongoing controversy over the proposed auction of 400 acres of land in Kanche Gachibowli, the Central government has stepped in, labeling the land clearance efforts by the Telangana government as "illegal."
The Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has intervened by requesting a detailed account of the actions taken by the Telangana government and demanding that the state provide both a factual report and an action taken report on the matter.
The move comes a day after the representations from Union Ministers G Kishan Reddy, Bandi Sanjay Kumar and several other MPs who expressed concerns over the ecological sensitive region around the University of Hyderabad.
On April 2, 2025, a letter from S Sundar, the Assistant Inspector General of Forests at the MoEFCC, was made public. The communication, addressed to the Additional Secretary (Forests) of Telangana, alleges the "illegal felling and removal of vegetation" at the site in Kanche Gachibowli, which lies in the Ranga Reddy district of Telangana state.
The letter accuses the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) of unauthorised environmental degradation as part of the land’s preparation for auction, suggesting immediate action from state authorities to address the situation.
Through the letter, the MoEFCC also directed the Assistant Secretary (Forests), Telangana, to take legal action under the provisions of the Indian Forest Act (or local Forest Act), Wildlife Protection Act and the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, as applicable, besides providing a “factual report” immediately. The Assistant Inspector General of Forests S Sundar wrote a letter to the Additional Secretary (Forests), Telangana. He also asked the State Forest Department to ensure that there is no violation of any other Acts or orders of the Courts and Tribunals.
It is pertinent to note that the area, which is adjacent to the University of Hyderabad, is home to wildlife, including the national bird, the Indian Peafowl, as well as several protected species and unique rock formations. The students of UoH are claiming that the contentious land is part and parcel of the varsity, while the Telangana government claiming that it was handed over to them a few years ago.
