Telangana High Court Extends Stay on Tree Felling in Kancha Gachibowli

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has extended its interim stay on the felling of trees in the Kancha Gachibowli forest area, located near the Hyderabad Central University campus. The court has given the State government time until April 7 to file its counter affidavit in the ongoing matter.

Hearing Over Petition

A division bench led by Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Renuka Yara is hearing the case. The matter is related to the petition which is challenging government action to allocate nearly 400 acres of land in the ecologically sensitive zone for IT infrastructure projects.

The petitioners, which include social activists, environmental scientists and university alumni, argue that the area is rich in biodiversity and home to various wildlife species, including the Indian peafowl. They emphasize the need to preserve the land as a green zone instead of converting it for commercial use.

Supreme Court Intervention

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has also stepped in to the matter and ordered a complete halt to any activity on the disputed land. The apex court criticized the Telangana government’s rapid clearance drive actions, during which trees on about 100 – 150 acres were reportedly cut down in a single day. The Chief Secretary of Telangana Smt. A. Santhi Kumari has been asked to explain the action taken.

Next Hearing

The case will be taken up for the next hearing on 7th of April, when the State government is expected to submit its official response to the court.