The Opposition BRS has sent a lengthy representation to the members of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) of the Union Environment Ministry accusing the state government of violating several central and state forest laws while felling trees on the 400 acres of land of Kancha Gachibowli. The BRS urged the CEC members to investigate and recommend action against the Telangana government and the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporations for these violations and propose a time-bound restoration plan.

The Opposition BRS has collated and submitted to the CEC details of how the Telangana government blatantly violated several state and central laws while clearing vegetation on 400 acres of land at Kancha Gachibowli. The submission is intended to be placed before the Supreme Court ahead of the next hearing. The state government has time and again maintained that the land was not designated as forest in revenue records.

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“The CEC is requested to examine all the above points and impress upon the Hon’ble Supreme Court the need to take into account the violations committed by the state government, and to urge the court to issue directions to protect the vegetation and wildlife at Kancha Gachibowli and not to overlook the relevant Acts and Rules for undertaking non-forest developmental activities,” the BRS stated in its representation.

Arguing that even if the government claims the tree felling at Kancha Gachibowli does not attract the Forest Conservation Act as the land is not classified as forest, the BRS said that the TGIIC still required permission to cut trees.

The BRS stated, “Even if the state government argues that the Kancha Gachibowli land does not qualify as forest and doesn’t attract the FC Act, the TGIIC authorities have no power to cut the existing trees on the said land without obtaining prior permission under the Andhra Pradesh Water, Land and Trees Act (WALTA), 2002, from the designated officer notified by the state government.”

The Opposition party listed the native species of trees and small animals found at Kancha Gachibowli and reported that two spotted deer died due to the deforestation carried out by the state government. The Supreme Court has directed the CEC to visit the site before 16 April.