GUWAHATI: The Supreme Court of India has issued an interim order halting tree felling in Telangana’s Kancha Gachibowli forest area, located near the University of Hyderabad campus.
A bench comprising Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice A.G. Masih intervened after Senior Advocate K. Paremeshwar, acting as amicus curiae in the forest conservation case, raised urgent concerns over deforestation in the region.
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The court has directed the Registrar of the Telangana High Court to immediately visit the site and submit a report by 3:30 PM today, April 3. Additionally, the Chief Secretary of Telangana has been instructed to ensure that no further tree cutting occurs until further orders.
Referring to media reports, the Supreme Court noted that mass deforestation was being carried out in Kancha Gachibowli, with a large number of trees being felled over the long weekend. The reports also mentioned that the forest is home to eight species of scheduled animals, raising concerns over its ecological impact.
The court’s directive reads:
"We direct the Registrar (Judicial) of the Telangana High Court to immediately inspect the site and submit an interim report by 3:30 PM today. The Registrar (Judicial) of this Court is also directed to communicate this order to the High Court's Registrar, who must act without delay."
Senior Advocate A.M. Singhvi, representing the Telangana government, informed the court that the Telangana High Court was already addressing the matter.
Earlier, on Wednesday, the High Court ordered the state government to halt the clearance of 400 acres of green cover near the University of Hyderabad until the next hearing on Thursday.
The High Court bench of Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Renuka Yara was hearing pleas from an NGO, Vata Foundation, and another petitioner, Kalapala Babu Rao.The petitioners argued that the land is “forest-like”, even though it is not documented as a forest, as it contains features such as vegetation, rock formations, wildlife and lakes. It is a catchment area for the lakes, they argued, adding that the razing of such a “forest-like” land was a violation of two Supreme Court judgments, the Forest Conservation Act and Forest Conservation rules.
The dispute escalated over the weekend when bulldozers began clearing the land to prepare it for auction as part of an IT park development project. Students from Hyderabad Central University launched protests, and tensions flared when the police reportedly used force to disperse the demonstrators, accusing them of obstructing official duties.
In response, the Telangana government clarified that it had not taken university land for development and accused the opposition parties, including the BRS and BJP, of spreading misinformation for political leverage. The government also warned of stringent action against anyone obstructing the development process.