Supreme Court intervenes to halt tree felling in Kancha Gachibowli

The bench also ordered the Registrar (Judicial) of the Telangana high court to conduct an on-site inspection and submit an interim status report by 3:30pm today

The Supreme Court on Thursday took judicial note of the ongoing deforestation on 400 acres of land in Kancha Gachibowli, near the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) campus, and directed the Telangana government to immediately halt all tree-felling and excavation activities at the site.

On April 2, some protestors attempted to enter the university campus but were stopped by police. (PTI file photo)

The bench, comprising justices Bhushan R Gavai and AG Masih, also ordered the Registrar (Judicial) of the Telangana high court to conduct an on-site inspection and submit an interim status report by 3:30pm today.

“The news items show that the authorities, taking advantage of long holidays over the weekend, have rushed through in felling the trees. Additionally, the forest is said to be home to eight species of scheduled animals,” noted the bench in its order.

The apex court’s intervention follows media reports highlighting large-scale clearing of green cover in the Kancha Gachibowli forest area over the long weekend. The reports suggested that authorities had taken advantage of the holidays to expedite deforestation, threatening the habitat of at least eight scheduled animal species. Senior advocate K Parameshwar, who has been assisting the bench as an amicus curiae, in environmental matters, brought the issue to the notice of the court.

“We further direct the Chief Secretary of the State of Telangana to ensure that, until further orders are passed by this Court, no tree felling shall be permitted in the Kancha Gachibowli forest area,” the Supreme Court ordered while listing the matter for a detailed hearing at 3:45pm.

Meanwhile, senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Telangana government, informed the bench that the Telangana high court is also seized of the matter and is likely to take it up at 2:15pm today. The bench then clarified that the proceedings before the high court are not stayed.

The high court had a day ago issued an interim stay on excavation and tree-felling activities in a 400-acre expanse near the HCU campus. Acting chief justice Sujoy Paul and justice Renuka Yara issued the order in response to multiple petitions filed by environmental groups and activists.

The petitions, filed by environmental organization Vata Foundation ENPO and retired scientist Kalapala Babu Rao, challenge Government Order (GO) 54, which facilitates the transfer of the land to the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) for IT infrastructure development. Petitioners argue that the land should be classified as a protected ecological zone, pointing to its rich biodiversity, including spotted deer, wild boars, star tortoises, and Indian rock pythons. They also highlight the presence of two lakes and unique rock formations that qualify the area as a reserved forest, regardless of government records.

During the Wednesday proceedings before the high court, senior counsels S Niranjan Reddy and L Ravichandra, representing the petitioners, cited Supreme Court precedents that emphasise ecological characteristics over official classification in determining forest status. The plea also criticised the government for failing to conduct an environmental impact assessment or obtain expert committee recommendations before sanctioning deforestation.

Defending the state’s stance, advocate general A Sudarshan Reddy contended that the land had historically been designated for commercial purposes, tracing its allocation to the Nizam era and subsequent transfer to IMG Bharatha in 2003. The state government maintains that the planned industrial development aligns with its broader infrastructure expansion goals.

The large-scale tree-felling has sparked significant public outcry, with students and environmental activists staging protests and sit-ins at the University of Hyderabad. Various political student organizations, including the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), and Left-wing groups, have also joined the agitation. On April 2, some protestors attempted to enter the university campus but were stopped by police.

The Telangana high court had scheduled further hearings for 2:15 pm on Thursday to review compliance with its interim order. With the Supreme Court now stepping in, the case has taken on national significance, bringing fresh scrutiny to the environmental and legal aspects of land use policy in Telangana.