Supreme Court stays tree felling on land near Hyderabad University

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed tree felling on 400 acres of land in Kancha Gachibowli near the Hyderabad Central University.

The apex court, in an interim order, directed the state Chief Secretary to ensure that no felling of trees takes place till further orders.

A bench of Justice B. R. Gavai and Justice A. G. Masih also directed the Registrar of the Telangana High Court to inspect the site and submit a report by 3.30 p.m. on Thursday.

The bench passed the interim order after senior advocate K. Parmeshwar, the amicus curiae in forest cases, made an oral mention of tree felling on the land.

Further hearing is scheduled after receipt of the report from the Registrar of the Telangana High Court later in the day.

The bench observed that the newspapers depict vast deforestation in the Kancha Gachibowli forest. The news reports show that authorities have resorted to the felling of trees, taking advantage of long holidays over the weekend. It noted the reports that the forest area houses eight types of scheduled animals.

The Telangana High Court on Wednesday had stayed tree felling and other works on the land till Thursday.

It pronounced the interim order while hearing the Public Interest Litigations filed by HCU students and Vata Foundation.

While adjourning the hearing to Thursday, the court directed the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) to stop the work.

Vata Foundation, an NGO working for environmental conservation, sought deemed forest status for the land and demanded that it be declared a national park under Section 35 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act.

The petitioner’s counsel also submitted to the court that the HCU campus had all the features of biodiversity hotspots and was ecologically sensitive, as recognised by the Supreme Court for conferment of deemed forest status in the Godavarman case.

The petitioners submitted to the court that the government in June last year issued a Government Order, allotting 400 acres of government land to the TGIIC. They argued that even if this is government land, the authorities concerned have to follow the Supreme Court orders. The court was told that heavy vehicles were being used to uproot trees and to level the ground.

The counsel for the petitioners contended that, as per the Supreme Court order, a committee of experts has to be constituted to remove trees from a forested land. If the land inhabited by wildlife is to be levelled, an expert committee has to visit that place and study it for a month.

The petitioners told the court that the land has three lakes, several rocks, and many species of animals and birds, and they need to be protected. The court was told that authorities were acting against the Supreme Court guidelines, and for the last few days, a tense situation has been prevailing there.