Hyderabad: The Students’ Union of the University of Hyderabad met with members of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) on Thursday. They submitted a memorandum asking for protection of the university’s land and its biodiversity.
Along with the memorandum, the students presented an Ecological Heritage Compilation and a report prepared by Dr. Joseph Joby. This report explains the rich biodiversity found in the 400-acre Kancha Gachibowli area. The students informed the committee that trees are being cleared from the area and that the land is being prepared for auction to private companies. They raised concerns that this commercial development would harm the environment, threaten wildlife, and damage the ecosystem.
The students also pointed out that these activities were taking place even though the matter is still being heard in the Telangana High Court. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the court, and on April 7, the court asked the state government to provide detailed information on the legality and environmental impact of selling the land.
Despite the High Court’s instructions, the government sent bulldozers on March 30 to clear almost half of the land. The students said that tree-cutting only stopped after the Supreme Court stepped in on April 3.
The students urged officials to declare the 400-acre area as a legally protected conservation reserve. They asked to be allowed to visit the deforested site along with the officials so they could show the full extent of the damage.
They also explained that the land is home to 237 species of birds, including migratory birds, as well as endangered animals such as the Indian Star Tortoise, Spotted Deer, Indian Rock Python, and Monitor Lizard. The area also helps collect water for nearby lakes like SR Lake, Peacock Lake, and Buffalo Lake, which are important for wildlife and groundwater.
The students warned that clearing the forest for commercial use would destroy important habitats and violate environmental laws. They said selling this green space to private companies would be an ecological disaster.
