Telangana HC urges govt to stop tree cutting near university

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court urged the state government on Wednesday to stop clearing a 400-acre green area near the University of Hyderabad (UoH) until the next hearing of the court on Thursday (April 3, 2025). The court has to take this decision after environmentalists and other activists raised their concern regarding the destruction of the forest-like land. The state government wants to take over the area for the development of IT parks.

Clearance of green zones has started since Sunday; above 50 earthmovers have already removed trees and vegetation. This initiative is a threat to the rich biodiversity of the area. University students and teachers have come on the road, protesting against this action, explaining it will harm the environment. University teachers and students organized a march, protesting against the action. The situation turned ugly when the police used batons to prevent them.

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A High Court bench, led by Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Renuka Yara, heard petitions from an NGO, Vata Foundation, and activist Kalapala Babu Rao. The petitioners argued that the land has features of a forest, including trees, rock formations, and lakes, even though it is not officially classified as one. They pointed out that the destruction of such land violates environmental laws and Supreme Court rulings.

Civil society members and environmentalists have repeatedly said that the state government should stop this action. They believe that development is useless at the cost of the environment.