Hyderabad: The University of Hyderabad community, actively opposing the auction of 400 acres of land in Kancha Gachibowli, is now joined by BJP MPs training their guns against the state forest department and the Telangana Industrial Investment Corporation (TGIIC).

Specifically, the office of the State Chief Wildlife Warden (CWW) of Telangana has come under scrutiny, as the CWW is responsible for overseeing the protection and conservation of wildlife in the state under the Central Wildlife Protection Act. An official from the University of Hyderabad (UoH) stated, “It is the responsibility of the CWW to conduct inspections and review situations whenever there is a threat to wildlife and biodiversity.” The students and the UoH community have raised concerns about potential harm to local peacocks. However, the CWW office appears to be siding with the state government, ignoring its responsibilities under the Wildlife Protection Act.

Meanwhile, BJP MPs have challenged the claims made by the state government. Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy, referenced a Supreme Court ruling in the Godavarman Tirumalapad case (1996), which established that under the Forest Conservation Act of 1980, any land with a forest environment—including private land—can be classified as forest land. As such, the 400 acres in question, which are home to numerous trees and rich biodiversity, should also be considered forest land, requiring permission from the Central Government for any tree-felling activities. Malkajgiri MP Eatala Rajender argued that the state government’s claims of land ownership are misleading. He explained that the University of Hyderabad was established as part of various guarantees made to the people of Telangana following the 1969 statehood agitation. The UoH was allocated between 2,300 and 2,500 acres of land as part of these guarantees.

The allocation of the 400 acres to IMG Bharat was canceled around 2006 due to public opposition, though IMG Bharat later challenged this cancellation in court. Rajender noted that the state government had previously argued in court that this 400-acre parcel housed 700 species of various plants and animals, including peacocks and deer, and was essential for maintaining ecological balance. However, he criticised the government for now attempting to flatten the land for auction to pay taxes to the Congress high command. “We will stand firm in support of the UoH community,” he asserted.

Nizamabad MP Aravind Dharmapuri reported alleged incidents of deer and peacock deaths during the police-backed TGIIC’s bulldozer operations at Kancha Gachibowli. “The deaths of deer and peacocks warrant legal action under the Wildlife Protection Act,” he emphasised. He called for an investigation into these incidents and urged that those responsible be held accountable. Additionally, he mentioned that the MPs plan to meet with the Union Environment and Forest Ministry to lodge a formal complaint and seek immediate intervention on these matters.