The Hyderabad Central University (HCU) is at the center of a major controversy as 400 acres of land near its Kancha Gachibowli campus are being auctioned off, leading to widespread protests from students and environmental activists. Heavy machinery, including excavators and diggers, was deployed over the weekend to clear the land, raising concerns about the destruction of local biodiversity. Protesters argue that the land is home to over 450 species of flora and fauna, including peacocks, whose cries of distress were captured in viral videos that intensified public outrage. Many social media users criticized Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, comparing the incident to past controversies and questioning the silence of prominent environmental activists.
Amid legal challenges, the Telangana High Court has temporarily halted excavation work on the land following multiple petitions arguing that the area should be protected due to its ecological significance. A division bench, led by Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Renuka Yara, ordered an immediate stop to land-clearing activities and postponed further hearings. The petitions, filed by environmental groups and concerned citizens, claim the land is part of a reserved forest and home to endangered wildlife. They cited Supreme Court rulings emphasizing ecological factors over government records in determining forest land. The petitioners accused the government of violating environmental laws by allowing large-scale deforestation without expert review, urging that the area be declared a national park.
In response, the Telangana government and the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) defended the land auction, insisting that development would not harm the ecosystem. The state argued that the land was never classified as a reserved forest and had been designated for industrial use since the Nizam era. Officials dismissed claims of lakes within the disputed area and pointed out that high-rise buildings already exist nearby. They also clarified that the land had been previously allotted to a private company in 2003 and was later reclaimed by the government. Despite the legal battle and ongoing protests, the government maintains that the development project will proceed without damaging the environment.
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