The Supreme Court-appointed CEC, led by Siddhant Das, inspected 400-acre Kancha Gachibowli lands, probing deforestation claims. Officials submitted reports as the panel assessed developments near Hyderabad University
Published Apr 10, 2025 | 7:49 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 10, 2025 | 7:49 PM
Supreme Court appointed panel visits Kancha Gachibowli
Synopsis: The Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) inspected the 400-acre Kancha Gachibowli lands in Hyderabad on 10 April, following deforestation allegations against the Telangana government. Led by Siddhant Das, the team examined environmental and legal concerns. During the visit, state officials submitted a report outlining their stance, while the committee questioned developments near the University of Hyderabad to assess the situation
The Central Empowered Committee (CEC), appointed by the Supreme Court, conducted an inspection of the 400-acre Kancha Gachibowli lands in Hyderabad on Thursday 10 April.
This inspection was initiated following the Supreme Court’s directive, prompted by allegations of extensive deforestation in the area, allegedly carried out by the Telangana state government.
The inspection team, led by Siddhant Das, includes members CP Goyal, Sunil Limaye, and JR Bhatt. The Supreme Court tasked the CEC with investigating the environmental and legal issues related to the Kancha Gachibowli land, situated near the University of Hyderabad.
Upon arriving at the University of Hyderabad (HCU), the committee entered through the rear gate and inspected the Kancha Gachibowli site. According to sources, the team asked questions to understand the developments taking place on the land.
The officials of the state government presented a report to the CEC, explaining the official point of view on the dispute.
A delegation from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), led by senior leader and former minister T Harish Rao, also met the CEC members at their hotel. The delegation submitted an 11-page memorandum outlining what they claimed to be environmental destruction, illegal deforestation, and multiple legal violations allegedly by the Telangana government under Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy.
The BRS urged the committee to officially recognise the land as part of the University of Hyderabad and take strict action against the violations.
A key responsibility of the CEC is to determine whether the land qualifies as a “deemed forest” under the Supreme Court’s 1996 ruling in TN Godavarman Thirumulpad v. Union of India, which defines forests based on ecological characteristics rather than official classification. This involves assessing the type and density of vegetation.
The committee is also tasked with documenting the presence of wildlife, especially species protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972—such as peacocks and deer—to evaluate the ecological significance of the area.
Another major focus is investigating allegations that the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) illegally felled trees and cleared green cover. The CEC will verify whether required permissions were obtained under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, and whether an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was carried out before initiating development.
The team will assess the extent of deforestation, use of heavy machinery, condition of uprooted trees, and the environmental implications of the proposed IT infrastructure project. This includes studying impacts on local biodiversity, lakes like Peacock Lake and Buffalo Lake, and the region’s natural rock formations.
In addition, the CEC will evaluate the Telangana government’s adherence to environmental laws and Supreme Court directives. This includes compliance with the mandate to establish forest land identification committees—which were set up in Telangana on 15 March, 2025—to classify forest-like areas before clearing operations begin.
The committee’s findings will be compiled into a report to be submitted to the Supreme Court by 16 April, 2025. The report is expected to have a decisive impact on the legal and environmental future of the Kancha Gachibowli lands, determining whether the area will remain a protected zone or be opened to development. The CEC’s visit includes meetings with government officials, students, NGOs, and other stakeholders to gather a comprehensive perspective.
Speaking to the media after submitting the memorandum, Harish Rao stated that the document was backed by 200 pages of supporting evidence.
He alleged, “The Revanth Reddy government is treating forest land like farmland—clearing it even on festivals like Ugadi and Ramzan, and on Sundays, to avoid public attention.”
Rao asked, “Is there one law for ordinary citizens and another for the Chief Minister? If a farmer cuts down a single tamarind or mango tree, they are fined heavily by forest and revenue officials. But when the government uproots thousands of trees, there is complete silence.”
He cited the WALTA Act, which mandates a formal application, a deposit of Rs 450, and the planting of two saplings for every tree cut. “In Kancha-Gachibowli, there were no applications, no permissions, no compliance—only destruction,” Rao charged.
He continued, “When Salman Khan killed one deer, he was jailed. What punishment does this government deserve for killing three deer? The law permits up to seven years in prison. But in Telangana, the Chief Minister seems immune—to both the law and the Supreme Court.”
Rao accused the government of violating at least seven major legal provisions, including: The WALTA Act (2002), which requires permissions for tree felling; G.O. 23 (2017), mandating online approval from the forest department; The Godavarman judgment (1996), which protects lands with forest-like features; The Ashok Kumar Sharma v. Union of India judgment, defining forests by their density; The Telangana Forest Act (1967); The Supreme Court’s March 4, 2025, directive to catalog all forest-type lands; and High Court orders banning demolitions on weekends, which were violated during Ugadi, Ramzan, and Sundays.
He further noted that lakhs of saplings had been planted in the area under various afforestation efforts, including one by former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in 2011. He argued that the area contains a water body (cheruvu), medicinal plants, and aromatic subabul trees—contradicting forest department claims that only commercial species were present.
Rao also alleged financial irregularities, stating that the land was mortgaged on October 22, 2024, to secure a Rs 10,000 crore loan, for which a brokerage fee of Rs 169.84 crore was paid. He said this points to financial mismanagement, asserting, “The Revanth Reddy government is looting both the environment and public money.”
He accused the state of contempt of court for putting up signage claiming the land as TSIIC property, despite the Supreme Court’s directive that forest-like lands must be treated as protected, regardless of ownership records.
“When we built the new Secretariat, even the removal of a few trees led to Green Tribunal and High Court cases. Now, thousands of trees over hundreds of acres are being cleared, yet no one is being held accountable,” Rao remarked.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
