Published Nov 11, 2026 | 4:38 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 11, 2026 | 4:38 PM
The JAC sought a probe into the digging, soil transport and felling of trees, terming it illegal
Students and the Joint Action Committee of Satavahana University on Wednesday, 11 November, have alleged large scale environmental damage on campus premises due to tree felling and digging up of soil.
The JAC alleged that pits dug to a depth of over 10 feet have scarred the campus’s greenery and landscape, and may prove dangerous for birds and animals.
They further sought a probe into the digging, soil transport and felling of trees, terming it illegal. They want the district administration and the forest department to examine the site, check for breaches of the Water, Land and Trees (WALTA) Act and other environmental rules, and fix responsibility.
Following the students complaint that the work was damaging the ecology and putting wildlife at risk, forest officials visited Satavahana University on Wednesday on district collector’s orders.
Students say digging is underway on roughly two acres of land for a synthetic track, a law college and a gallery, and that the soil is being trucked out of the campus. They also claimed that big, old trees have been axed.
Peacock, the national bird, and other birds were once a regular sight on the campus, the students said, but their numbers have fallen sharply after their habitats were destroyed. The work has also kicked up dust and noise, they added.
The students have further submitted a complaint to the Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TGPCB), requesting its officials to inspect the campus and evaluate the damage caused by the excavation, dust and noise.
They alleged that the work is doing serious harm to the campus’s natural setting and biodiversity. They said the board should also ascertain whether the necessary permissions had been secured and whether environmental norms were being followed, and initiate legal proceedings if violations come to light.
Videos of the alleged destruction have been shared widely on social media, with several users likening it to a similar attempt to clear the Kancha Gachibowli forest adjacent to University of Hyderabad in 2025.
Also Read: The controversy behind Hyderabad Central University’s disputed lands
(Edited by Sumavarsha, with inputs from Sreshta Ladegaam)
