Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) said on Thursday, May 15, that Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy’s misdeeds led the state government officials to face the Supreme Court’s stern warning over the issue of Kancha Gachibowli land in Hyderabad.
In his reaction to the Supreme Court’s observations during the hearing of the matter, the former minister demanded that Kancha Gachibowli’s forests must be protected. He demanded that the chief minister take responsibility for the whole ‘mess’.
“Your misdeeds have led Telangana government officials under your command to face the Honourable Supreme Court’s stern warning, with the looming threat of going to jail. Attempts to evade accountability will not succeed—justice demands answers. The immediate restoration of Kancha Gachibowli’s forests is non-negotiable, or be prepared for legal repercussions,” the BRS slammed the chief minister through a social media post.
“The Rs 10,000 crore scam to sell HCU land is a blatant act of corruption and betrayal. Deploying bulldozers on weekends to circumvent oversight and destroy green cover is a clear violation of environmental laws,” said the BRS MLA.
“These reckless actions jeopardise our ecosystem and undermine the rule of law. Kancha Gachibowli’s forests must be protected, and it is high time you take responsibility for the whole mess,” he added.
SC hears Kancha Gachibowli case
The Supreme Court on Thursday resumed hearing on the matter related to deforestation of Kancha Gachibowli land near Hyderabad Central University.
The bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice AG Masih on April 16 had extended the stay on tree cutting in 400 acres of land for a month and directed the Wildlife Warden of Telangana to take steps to protect wildlife affected by deforestation in 100 acres.
Abhishekh Manu Singhvi, appearing for the Telangana government, sought more time to study the report of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), which had visited the spot and submitted the report to the apex court last month.
Singhvi told the bench that he received the CEC report at 5 pm on Wednesday, May 14, and that he needed more time to examine the same.
The Chief Justice of India observed that deforestation, prima facie, seemed pre-planned. In his remark, the CJI said, “It is up to the state whether it wants to restore the forest or not. If you want the Chief Secretary and half a dozen officers to shift to a temporary prison, we can do that.”
The bench once again asked if the authorities had environmental clearance to cut trees and reiterated that the forest should be restored.
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