HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Thursday adjourned a batch of three Public Interest Litigations (PILs) regarding the alleged destruction of 400 acres of forest land adjacent to Hyderabad Central University (HCU) in Sy. No. 25, Kancha Gachibowli Village, Serilingampally Mandal, Rangareddy district.
A Division Bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Renuka Yara, postponed the matter to 7 April 2025, following the Supreme Court’s intervention, which granted protection to the petitioners and directed the respondent authorities to submit counter-affidavits.
Senior Counsel Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the State of Telangana, informed the court that the Supreme Court had already granted protection to the petitioners and instructed the High Court Registry to visit the disputed site and file a report.
He argued that for the past 30 years, no claims had been made asserting that the land belonged to the forest. "Furthermore, within a few kilometres, there are environmental balancing factors such as the Botanical Garden and a golf course," he added.
Singhvi also stated that the land had long been alienated to IMG Bharatha, represented by Director Billy Rao, at a throwaway price. He argued that developing the land could generate employment opportunities for approximately five lakh people.
Senior Counsel S. Niranjan Reddy told the court that clearing of bushes, trees, and excavation work was being carried out continuously, both day and night.
He also informed the Bench that a student who recorded a video of the ongoing activities had been detained by the police and held at Rajendranagar Police Station. This issue was brought to the court’s attention through an additional Interlocutory Application (IA) filed on the same day.
In a separate PIL filed through a Lunch Motion, the petitioners sought a directive to prevent the alienation of the land to third parties. The High Court directed the respondent authorities to file their counter-affidavits in this plea as well.
