Telangana High Court Orders Stay on Cutting Trees at Kancha Gachibowli Till April 3

New Delhi: New Delhi: The Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to suspend all work on the 400-acre land parcel adjacent to the University of Hyderabad (UoH), located in Kancha Gachibowli, until April 3. 

The decision came after hearing multiple public interest litigations (PILs) seeking a halt to the uprooting of trees and land clearing at the site, which has become a major point of contention.

PILs Challenge Land Allotment and Environmental Concerns

The bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Renuka Yara, was addressing PILs that challenged the allotment of the land to the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC). 

Petitioners contended that the state’s decision violated the Forest Conservation Act. S. Niranjan Reddy, representing one of the petitioners, argued that the land's development was causing extensive deforestation, and work was continuing despite the ongoing legal proceedings. 

Government's Argument on Land Ownership and Development Plans

Advocate General Sudarshan Reddy defended the government’s stance, arguing that the petitions were based on Google images, which are not admissible as evidence according to Supreme Court rulings. 

He further asserted that the disputed land lies outside the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) and has always been designated for industrial development. Reddy emphasized that the TGIIC was merely following the government's instructions for the site’s development.

Environmental Concerns and Calls for Intervention

The petitioners raised serious concerns regarding the ecological impact of the development. Niranjan Reddy argued that cutting trees taller than one meter without proper permission from the relevant authorities under the Water, Land, and Trees Act was illegal. 

He described the ongoing deforestation as an “ecological disaster.” He also urged the court to demand National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA) images from the past month to show the extent of environmental damage.

Another petitioner’s counsel pointed out that the destruction of flora and fauna within the 400-acre site would lead to the loss of vital natural resources, all for the sake of “narrow economic interests.”

On Monday, TGIIC representatives claimed that they had established their ownership of the land in court. The Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation asserted that the University of Hyderabad did not own any part of the disputed land.