HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court has halted excavation work on 400 acres of land near Hyderabad Central University (HCU) in Kancha Gachibowli village, following petitions challenging large-scale deforestation in the area. A division bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Renuka Yara, adjourned the hearing of the Public Interest Litigations (PILs) to Thursday while ordering a temporary halt to all land-clearing activities.
The PILs were filed against the Telangana government's implementation of Government Order (GO) 54, issued on June 26, 2024, which facilitates the allocation of the land to Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited (TGIIC). Environmental non-profit Vata Foundation ENPO, represented by its founding trustee Uday Krishna Peddireddy, and retired scientist Kalapala Babu Rao argued that the land should be recognized as a protected ecological habitat.
Senior counsels S. Niranjan Reddy and L. Ravichandra, representing the petitioners, contended that the land is part of a reserved forest, home to diverse flora and fauna, including endangered species. They cited Supreme Court precedents, arguing that forest land should be identified by its ecological characteristics rather than government records. The petitioners highlighted that the area contains two lakes, unique rock formations like ‘Mushroom Rock,’ and species such as spotted deer, wild boars, star tortoises, and Indian rock pythons.
The petitioners also alleged that the government had bypassed environmental regulations by failing to form an expert committee before allowing deforestation using 30–40 JCB excavators. They warned that large-scale destruction of the region’s biodiversity could lead to an ecological disaster in Hyderabad’s financial district. They demanded that the land be declared a national park and placed under legal protection.
Representing the state, Advocate General A. Sudarshan Reddy argued that the land is not classified as forest land and has been designated for industrial use. He cited historical records, stating that the land, known as ‘Kancha land’ during the Nizam era, was previously allocated to IMG Bharatha in 2003 for development purposes. He also dismissed the petitioners’ claim that the area qualifies as a reserved forest, pointing to the presence of high-rise buildings in adjacent areas.
Due to time constraints, the High Court postponed the matter to Thursday at 2:15 PM, maintaining its directive to pause all excavation activities until further hearings.
Protests at the University have escalated as students vehemently oppose the Telangana government's land development plans. Led by the University of Hyderabad Students’ Union (UoHSU), demonstrators have staged class boycotts, sit-ins, and large-scale protests, citing environmental concerns and potential threats to the university’s integrity.
Gathering at the university’s main gate, students demanded an immediate halt to the planned land auction and the removal of earth-moving machinery from the site. Amid the unrest, leaders from Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), and Left parties attempted to enter the campus but were stopped by police. Several students were detained
