Kancha Gachibowli land
Hyderabad: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday, May 15 warned the Telangana government against further tree-felling in the Kancha Gachibowli land area in Hyderabad.
The bench, led by Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice AG Masih, expressed deep concern over the deforestation carried out during a long weekend and warned of contempt proceedings, if restoration of forest is not taken up, reported Live Law.
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.”
Based on the Telangana government’s request for a post-vacation hearing, the CJI adjourned the Suo Motu case to July 23. According to Live Law, the Supreme Court observed that the tree felling appeared pre-planned, criticising the timing and scale of the activity. “If you are bona fide, why was the deforestation started on a long vacation? Dozen bulldozers were arranged. Prima facie this was planned,” the Chief Justice observed.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the State, claimed all activity had been stopped and that reforestation efforts were underway. However, senior advocate K Parameshwar countered that no such activity was happening at the Kancha Gachibowli site in question and cited a Forest Services report confirming that over 60 per cent of the deforested area was moderate to heavily dense forest.
The court reiterated its earlier stay on tree felling at Kancha Gachibowli in Hyderabad and reminded the Telangana government of its direction to protect wildlife in the area. “We are advocates of sustainable development, but the question here is about felling of thousands of trees, taking wrong advantage of the long vacation for deforestation,” the CJI warned, hinting that senior officials, including the Chief Secretary, could face jail, if the Telangana government fails to act.
Reacting to the Supreme Court’s hearing, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao slammed chief minister A Revanth Reddy, holding him responsible for the apex court’s warning to government officials.
“Your misdeeds have led Telangana Govt 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,” KTR said in a post on X.
The former Telangana minister called for immediate restoration of the Kancha Gachibowli land, adding that it is non-negotiable. KTR reiterated the Supreme Court’s warning and cautioned Reddy about legal repercussions.
The Sircilla MLA alleged that 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.
“These reckless actions jeopardize 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,” the former Telangana minister concluded.
This post was last modified on May 15, 2025 3:05 pm