Telangana HC orders pause on clearing of 400-acre green cover near Hyderabad University | Hyderabad News

Since Sunday afternoon, more than 50 earthmoving vehicles have been clearing the trees and other vegetation on the land, home to several species of flora and fauna.

The High Court bench of Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Renuka Yara was hearing pleas from an NGO, Vata Foundation, and another petitioner, Kalapala Babu Rao.

The petitioners argued that the land is “forest-like”, even though it is not documented as a forest, as it contains features such as vegetation, rock formations, wildlife and lakes. It is a catchment area for the lakes, they argued, adding that the razing of such a “forest-like” land was a violation of two Supreme Court judgments, the Forest Conservation Act and Forest Conservation rules.

The state’s Advocate General, however, argued that this land has never been forest land and that it was transferred to a private sports management company in 2003. The AG said the land had always been used for industrial purposes, and hence, is industrial land. The matter was posted to Thursday afternoon, with a direction to halt all activities on the land till the next hearing.

Meanwhile, civil society members, environmentalists and ecologists demanded that the state withdraw its decision to auction the land. Rights activist and former UoH professor Dr G Haragopal said that no excuse for development is justification for the destruction of the environment.

“The UOH does not legally own the land but morally, it is the university’s land. The 400 acres are part of the 2300 acres given by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi for the establishment of the university in the 1970s. Though there is no transfer of title to date, the very 50-year-old compound wall of the university is proof of the land’s ownership,” said Prof Haragopal.

Another former professor, Dr D Narasimha Reddy also said that the only concern of citizens including the students was concerns over the environment. “The ownership of the land is not in dispute as the state government claims. The debate is not about development versus environment but about development and environment. The development needs to protect the present interests by securing the future interests. Alternate ecosystems cannot be developed and hence it is important to protect the existing ecosystems,” he said.

Earlier on Wednesday morning, a protest march taken out by the varsity’s teachers’ union and students JAC to the east campus of UoH turned violent, with police using batons on them. A scuffle broke out between students and police who were deployed in large numbers and barricaded the east campus where the earthmovers were clearing the forested land.

Students alleged that barricades have been erected in the area, preventing them from reaching the site. They said the felling of trees and clearing of shrubs continued unabated for the third consecutive day. Students also boycotted classes, demanding the immediate removal of police forces and excavators from the campus.

Meanwhile, UOH vice-chancellor Professor Basuthkar Jagadeeshwar Rao Wednesday addressed the protesting students and said that the efforts of the students as well as teachers must be focused on securing the varsity’s land.

He said the university’s executive council meeting has resolved to ensure the alienation of the varsity land and transfer of its ownership from the state government.

The V-C said the land in dispute does not belong to the UoH but the only way to prevent any further encroachment of the varsity land is through official registration of the land in the University’s name. On Wednesday, the student union members also called on the Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan and submitted a representation on the issue.