The Court emphasized the seriousness of the issue and called for a detailed response from the Telangana Chief Secretary. It also directed that the Chief Secretary will be held personally responsible if the government does not comply with the Court’s directives.
New Delhi, April 3: The Supreme Court has ordered the Telangana government to stop all activities on the land next to the University of Hyderabad, except for protecting the existing trees.
A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih took a strict stance on the matter, calling tree felling in the state a “very serious matter.”
The Court was reviewing an interim report submitted by the registrar of the Telangana High Court, which revealed a concerning situation regarding deforestation in the area. The report indicated that a large number of trees had been cut down, raising alarms about environmental damage.
Supreme Court’s Questions to the Telangana Chief Secretary
The Supreme Court has sought answers from the Telangana Chief Secretary regarding the tree-cutting activities. The key questions raised by the Court are:
- “What was the compelling urgency to undertake the developmental activities, including the removal of trees from the alleged forest area?”
- “Has the state obtained an environmental impact assessment certificate for such development activities?”
- “Has the state obtained the requisite permission for felling trees from the appropriate authorities, or under any other local statutes?”
- “What is the necessity of having officers at serial numbers 3, 4, 5, 6, and 10 in the committees constituted under the orders of the Telangana state?”
The Court emphasized the seriousness of the issue and called for a detailed response from the Telangana Chief Secretary. It also directed that the Chief Secretary will be held personally responsible if the government does not comply with the Court’s directives.
The Supreme Court has instructed the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to personally inspect the site and submit a report by April 16, 2025. The Court has also issued a clear directive:
“Until further orders, no activity of any sort, except the protection of the trees already existing, shall be undertaken by the state. If we find that any of the directions issued by us are not complied with, the Chief Secretary of the state shall be personally responsible for the same.”
On Thursday, April 3, the Telangana High Court conducted a hearing on the case. During this session, the Advocate General (AG) sought additional time to file a counter-affidavit. The court accepted this request and scheduled the next hearing for April 7.
Meanwhile, the court also extended its interim orders, prohibiting any activity on the disputed land until the next hearing.
This hearing was a continuation of arguments presented in Public Interest Litigations (PILs) filed by the Vata Foundation and students from Hyderabad Central University (HCU). These petitions were submitted to challenge alleged illegal land use and encroachments in the Kancha Gachibowli locality.
A prior hearing took place on April 2, during which the court had instructed a temporary halt on any activity at the site for one day.
The Vata Foundation ENPO and retired scientist Kalapala Babu Rao have challenged Government Order (GO) 54, which allows the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) to develop the land for IT infrastructure.
The petitioners argue that the land should be a protected ecological zone as it has rich biodiversity, including spotted deer, wild boars, star tortoises, and Indian rock pythons. They also pointed out that the area has two lakes and special rock formations, which makes it eligible to be declared as reserved forest, regardless of government records.
The large-scale tree cutting has led to massive protests by students and environmental activists. Students of the University of Hyderabad (HCU) and various political student organizations, including Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), and Left-wing groups, have joined the movement.
On April 2, some protestors tried to enter the university campus but were stopped by the police.
Case Title : IN RE KANCHA GACHIBOWLI FOREST STATE OF TELANGANA |SMW(C) No. 3/2025
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