Netizens join hands, protest online over govt’s auction of lands

Hyderabad: Social Media platforms are buzzing with posts on saving biodiversity, with the ongoing protest of students of the University of Hyderabad (UoH) against the auction of Kancha Gachibowli lands. Netizens are joining hands in support of the movement of UoH students by launching a campaign – ‘SaveHCUBiodiversity’ on social media.

Apart from the varsity students, several denizens including celebrities have begun a campaign and are urging citizens to add #SaveHCUBioDiversity to their profile names to reach more people. A few residents and UoH students have initiated a signature campaign, which has already garnered 97,740 signatures, seeking to roll back the proposed auction of Kancha Gachibowli lands by TGIIC.

They alleged that it is a direct attack on the city’s ecological balance, as the land is a biodiversity zone, a climate regulator and one of the few remaining urban forests in the region. The destruction of this forest will lead to higher temperatures, worsened air pollution, reduced rainfall absorption, and an increased risk of human-wildlife conflict as displaced animals enter urban spaces, they cautioned.

Vinay Vangala, a social activist, said, “Kancha Gachibowli should be declared a protected ecological zone instead of being sold for commercial use. Various groups are working to protect the lung space of Gachibowli through different channels, including social media. I have joined hands with them and began a campaign on social media to spread the word about this cause.”

Meanwhile, Bollywood actress Dia Mirza took to X to extend support for the ongoing protest. She wrote, “Students are raising their voices for a future where nature thrives. Forests, not IT parks, offer young people a chance at a sustainable tomorrow. ‘Development’ at the cost of biodiversity is DESTRUCTION. Save Kancha Forest in Gachibowli, Hyderabad.”

Similarly, Tollywood actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu also extended support against clearing the biodiversity-rich land in Kancha Gachibowli. She shared the Telangana Today’s report on the ecological effects of the destruction on her Instagram.