Jay Tiwari
The Telangana High Court has ordered the immediate halt of land clearing near Hyderabad University, responding to environmental concerns.
A bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Renuka Yara issued the stay order following petitions from the NGO Vata Foundation and Kalapala Babu Rao. The court scheduled the next hearing for Thursday.
Since Sunday, over 50 earthmoving vehicles have been clearing trees and vegetation. This sparked protests from university students and faculty.
On Wednesday, a protest march by the university’s teachers' union and students turned violent when police used batons to disperse the demonstrators. Protesters alleged that barricades prevented them from accessing the affected area.
The state’s Advocate General argued that the land was never classified as forest and had been transferred to a private company in 2003. The government maintains that it is designated for industrial use.
Petitioners claim the land functions as a natural ecosystem with diverse flora, fauna, rock formations, and water catchment areas.
Environmental activists argue that its destruction violates Supreme Court rulings and the Forest Conservation Act.
With the High Court’s intervention, environmental groups and university stakeholders await further legal proceedings. The debate continues between ecological preservation and urban development.
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