The officer raised questions about "selective targeting," asking if the notice was issued to the other 2,000 members, who had also reshared the same post.
Published Apr 19, 2025 | 2:48 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 19, 2025 | 3:23 PM
Smita Sabharwal.
Synopsis: IAS officer Smita Sabharwal deposed before the Gachibowli police on Saturday regarding her reposting an AI-generated image depicting deforestation at Hyderabad Central University. She questioned selective targeting, as 2,000 others, too, had shared it. Meanwhile, 67 former officers urged the Telangana government to protect the land, citing Supreme Court orders and environmental concerns, and opposed plans to replace the forest with an eco-park.
Telangana IAS officer Smita Sabharwal, on Saturday, 19 April, gave a detailed statement to the Gachibowli police in response to the notice she received a few days ago for reposting an AI-generated Ghibli image on social media regarding the felling of trees on 400 acres in Kancha Gachibowli, adjacent to the University of Hyderabad (UoH).
Taking to X, the Principal Secretary of Youth Advancement, Tourism, and Culture, Sabharwal wrote: “Have fully cooperated with Gachibowli police authorities, and given my detailed statement today as a law-abiding citizen under BNSS Act.”
However, the officer also raised questions about “selective targeting,” asking if the notice was given to the other 2,000 members also, who had reshared the same post.
“The post was reshared by 2000 individuals on this platform. I sought clarification on whether same action is initiated for all! If not, this raises concern about selective targeting, that in turn compromises the principles of natural justice and equality before the Law,” she further wrote.
Have fully cooperated with Gachibowli police authorities, and given my detailed statement today as a law abiding citizen under BNSS Act.
The post was reshared by 2000 individuals on this platform.
I sought clarification on whether same action is initiated for all!If not,…
— Smita Sabharwal (@SmitaSabharwal) April 19, 2025
The image in question was reposted by Smita Sabharwal on 31 March from the X handle named Hi Hyderabad. It depicted bulldozers in front of the Mushroom Rock inside the UoH, with a peacock and a deer looking on.
“Yes, we have served her a notice under Section 179 of the BNSS (Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita) regarding the sharing of an AI-generated image,” Gachibowli Police Station Station House Officer (SHO) Mohammad Habibullah Khan told South First, on Wednesday, 16 April.
Following protests at the UoH on 30 March over the proposed development of 400 acres of forest land in Kancha Gachibowli, several images and videos were circulated on social media. Some of these visuals — generated using artificial intelligence — were widely shared to evoke sympathy for the wildlife reportedly inhabiting the area.
The Telangana government has since raised serious concerns over the spread of such AI-generated content.
Meanwhile, 67 former IAS , IFS, and IPS officers wrote an open letter to the Telangana government asking them to conserve the land.
In the open letter, the officers wrote: “The Congress party in its manifesto for the 2024 elections reaffirmed its profound commitment to rapid, inclusive and sustainable development, and to protect its ecosystems. local communities, flora and fauna. It also said that it would address the issues of environment and climate change with the seriousness these deserve.”
“It was therefore with dismay that we learnt of the recent disturbing incidents at the Hyderabad Central University, viz. the clearing of over 100 acres of forested land in Kancha Gachibowli, using bulldozers, with the objective of using this land for IT buildings and activities.”
Further addressing the student protests, they wrote, “Moreover, when students of Hyderabad University protested against the clearance of the forested land, the felling of the trees, and the use of bulldozers, the state government, instead of holding a dialogue with them to resolve the matter, sought to quell the protest by force, even resorting to arrests and lathi charges.”
“We are relieved that the government has now stepped back from its earlier stand but we are still concerned about a number of issues concerning this land.”
Further countering the government’s claims that the land is not forest land, the officers noted, “As per the Supreme Court order of 1996, in what is commonly known as the Godavarman case, all States were to constitute State Expert Committees (SEC) to identify all forests as per the dictionary meaning of the word, irrespective of ownership. The Andhra Pradesh Government (of which Telangana was a part in 1996) failed to constitute the SEC and therefore did not identify all forests as directed by the Supreme Court. They also failed to comply with subsequent Supreme Court orders on geo-referencing of forests. The claim that the impugned land is not forest land has, therefore, no legal basis, being the outcome of non-compliance of the orders of the Supreme Court.”
They further wrote: “When Telangana was carved out of Andhra Pradesh in 2014 it had no comprehensive data on forests; nor did the state take any steps to identify forests as per the Supreme Court’s orders. It may be noted that had the directions of the Supreme Court been followed, the land in question, Kancha Gachibowli, would very likely have been identified as forest as per the “dictionary meaning”, as well as per the land records, which called it a “wasteland” (which signifies grasslands, scrub forests etc.)”
Applauding the Supreme Court order, the missive stated, “Hyderabad is fortunate to have these 400 acres as part of the city landscape it acts as a catchment area for trapping the rainfall, recharging the ground water which is used by nearby colonies and buildings, it moderates the “heat island “effect of the city experts have opined that it lowers the ambient temperature by as much as 4 degrees Celsius; it functions as the city’s green lung. capturing pollution and greenhouse gases. ”
Raising concerns over the alleged ₹10,000 crore raised against the land, the officers also called out the proposed idea of eco-park at the same place.
“It is equally worrisome that instead of promising that this area would be allowed to regenerate as a forest and become a green lung for the city and a haven for its wildlife and biodiversity, there are media reports that indicate that Government wants to convert the whole land, including the land of the University into an eco-park. An eco-park is not a forest; it is a human-centric “developmental” activity, and not in accordance with the Supreme Court judgement,” the letter read.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
