Amid ongoing agitation by environmental activists and students against the clearance of work on 400 acres of land in Kancha Gachibowli, near Hyderabad Central University, the Telangana High Court on Wednesday halted work for 24 hours. The interim order from the court came while hearing PILs filed by students and the Vata Foundation.
The stay was sought by the petitioner, who claimed that the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) was felling trees using bulldozers in violation of Supreme Court orders.
Petitioners argued that TGIIC did not comply with the Supreme Court order, as it failed to constitute a committee to oversee the felling of trees after it was allotted land by the state government.
According to reports, the Supreme Court has ruled that if wildlife inhabits the land in question, a committee must study the impact of tree-felling for one month before making any decision.
Petitioners (Vata Foundation NGO) claimed the land hosts various animal and bird species and sought "deemed forest" status and its declaration as a "national park" under the Wildlife Protection Act.
Telangana's Advocate-General argued that the 400 acres is not recognised as a "forest," noting the presence of nearby high-rise buildings with helipads, and contended that not all areas with wildlife (like snakes and peacocks) can be declared forests.
The High Court's division bench ordered a work stoppage until Thursday.
