BRS represents violations in case of Kancha Gachibowli land to SC appointed CEC

BRS leaders T. Harish Rao (centre) and others speaking after submitting a representation to the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee on Kancha Gachibowli land in Hyderabad on Thursday.
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HYDERABAD

A delegation of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) on Thursday submitted a representation and explained the position on the ground to the Central Empowered Committee appointed by the Supreme Court regarding the 400 acres of Kancha Gachabowli land, including ‘illegal deforestation and environmental violations and destruction’.

Speaking to newspersons later, BRS MLA T. Harish Rao alleged that the government was violating all guidelines regarding the land and alleged that ‘destruction’ was carried out even on the festival days and holidays. They stated that the BRS had submitted 11-page representation with 200 pages of supporting/evidence documents.

Mr. Harish Rao stated that the committee had posed several questions to the BRS delegation and they had clarified all. The MRO would slap a huge fine even if a farmer fells a tamarind or neem tree on his farm or other domestic needs, but in case of Kancha Gachibowli land, hundreds of trees were felled without securing any permission, he alleged.

Even if a tree is felled for house construction purpose, one would be required to pay ₹50 challan in rural areas and ₹100 in urban areas and also deposit ₹450 per tree felled and two saplings had to be planted for every tree to be felled. In case of Kancha Gachibowli, the government had not even made an application to the forest department, he said.

It was TGIIC that had applied for tree felling in police stations and it was completely illegal. The police would have to give permission only after checking whether there was forest clearance and permission under WALTA. A total of about 50 bulldozers were employed to fell trees and and three spotted deer were killed in the process. Proof of all developments were submitted to the CEC, the party said.

The BRS leaders stated that the State government had borrowed ₹10,000 crore loan from banks on October 22, 2024 by mortgaging the land and had paid ₹169.84 crore as a brokerage fee for getting the loan. The government had violated seven laws by felling trees in the Gachibowli land, they alleged.