The Supreme Court on Wednesday came down heavily on the Telangana government over the large-scale destruction of forest cover in the Kancha Gachibowli area of Hyderabad, observing that sustainable development does not mean allowing forests to be destroyed overnight with bulldozers.
Hearing a suo motu case on deforestation in the ecologically sensitive Kancha Gachibowli forest belt, Chief Justice B R Gavai, heading a bench comprising Justice K Vinod Chandran and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, remarked, “I am an advocate of sustainable development, but that does not mean employ 30 bulldozers overnight and destroy all forest land.”
The court had earlier warned the Telangana government of dire consequences if immediate steps were not taken to restore the forest area. It had directed the Chief Wildlife Warden of Telangana to assess the situation and act urgently to protect wildlife affected by the felling of trees over nearly 100 acres in the area. It had further instructed that no additional trees were to be cut and that the site must remain untouched except for measures taken to protect existing vegetation.
Expressing its displeasure, the bench had warned that officers responsible for permitting or executing the deforestation might be sent to a “temporary prison” located at the very site of the destruction if the government failed to justify its actions.
Taking suo motu cognizance of the incident following media reports and public outcry, the Supreme Court had earlier imposed a complete stay on all tree felling at the site and cautioned the state’s chief secretary about the serious consequences of non-compliance with the court’s directions. It had made it clear that there was to be no construction, development, or clearing activity until further orders were passed.
The Kancha Gachibowli forest land, located in Hyderabad’s thriving IT corridor, has become the focus of environmental and civic protests. Students of the University of Hyderabad have also been actively opposing the state’s move to auction the land, demanding instead that it be handed over to the university for academic and environmental conservation purposes.
Environmentalists and citizens alike have raised concerns over the rapid disappearance of green cover in the area and the displacement of wildlife, as forested land is being cleared in the name of development. The top court’s strong observations now put the spotlight firmly on the state’s accountability and the urgent need to balance ecological preservation with urban expansion.