The Telangana government said on Monday that it would not permit anyone, including University of Hyderabad (UoH) faculty or students, to visit or survey the 400-acre Kancha Gachibowli land, which has become a point of contention between the state and citizens.
“In view of the order from the Supreme Court to prevent any activities and maintain status quo in the said area, the government will not be able to permit the survey by anybody including faculty and students until further court orders,” a committee of ministers comprising Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, IT Minister D Sridhar Babu, and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said.
Members of the UoH Teachers Association and civil society met the ministers along with Meenakshi Natarajan, the All India Congress Committee in-charge for Telangana, and Vamshi Chand Reddy, special invitee, Congress Working Committee, at the state secretariat on Monday. The students’ union had met Natarajan on Sunday and boycotted Monday’s meeting as their demands had not been fulfilled.
Telangana has been witnessing protests over the government’s plans to auction land adjacent to the University of Hyderabad. Students and faculty, along with civil society members, have formed a joint action committee (JAC) to resist the government’s move, citing ecological conservation. The Supreme Court had recently sought an explanation from the Telangana government on the “compelling urgency” for clearing the forest and put a stay on all activities till further orders. It has also directed a central empowered committee to visit the site and file a report by April 16.
On Monday, the committee was responding to the demands put forward by the JAC.
It was one of the key demands of the JAC that as primary stakeholders, expert faculty and researchers be permitted immediately to conduct a damage assessment and biodiversity survey on the 400-acre Kancha Gachibowli land before the central empowered committee visits campus.
Regarding another key demand that the police forces on campus be immediately withdrawn and prohibitory orders be taken back, the ministers said the police presence to protect the said 400 acres of land was essential in accordance with the recent Supreme Court order. “The government will write to the UoH administration about its intention to withdraw the police from the rest of the campus, and subject to the assurance of the administration about security of the students and property of campus, the police will be withdrawn from the campus, except from the 400 acres of land,” the committee of ministers added.
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On the demand to withdraw all the recent cases filed against the students involved in the agitation and release the two students who are still under police custody, the committee assured of its commitment to a sympathetic view towards the cases filed against the students. Further, it said it would take necessary action in consultation with the police/law departments to provide the best relief possible.
The committee acknowledged its favourable stance on visiting the campus, as requested by the students, but said that in view of the ongoing Supreme Court case and possible controversy, the visit cannot be planned immediately. However, the committee invited the students for a meeting to hear their concerns and suggestions.
The UoH Teachers’ Association and civil society members, who are part of the JAC, said they would participate in consultations with the committee of ministers only after these demands were met.
“Upon communicating the demands, on 6th April 2025, AICC In-charge Meenakshi Natarajan was set to visit the University site but was barred entry. Since we wanted our demands to be strongly communicated to the Telangana Government, representatives from the union participated in an official meeting with her on the same date and reiterated our demand strongly once again,” the UoH Students Union said in a statement.
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“We communicated to her that any discussion with the government is contingent on them meeting these demands, which may also lead to the 2,300 acres of land being registered in the name of University of Hyderabad. We also communicated the significance of the biodiversity in the land and recurring displacement of animals in days after forest clearance, demanding that the government recognises the loss incurred on an urgent basis,” it added.
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