Tree-felling row: SC panel begins inspection of land near Hyderabad University

Hyderabad, April 10 (IANS) The Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) on Thursday began its inspection of 400-acre land at Kancha Gachibowli near Hyderabad Central University following allegations that the authorities resorted to tree cutting in violation of environmental norms.

The CEC will also hold consultations with the officials, student groups, NGOs and other stakeholders during their two-day visit and submit a report to the Supreme Court on April 16.

The CEC, headed by Siddhant Das and comprising members C.P. Goyal, Sunil Limaye, and J.R. Bhatt, arrived in the city on Wednesday evening.

Senior officials accompanied the committee members during the field visit to assess the ground situation.

Police made elaborate security arrangements on the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) campus and the adjoining land in view of the recent protests by students over tree felling by Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC).

The road leading to East Campus was closed to prevent any gathering.

The TGIIC has installed boards at the 400-acre site, stating that the land belongs to the Telangana government.

The CEC will meet officials, including Chief Secretary Santhi Kumar, later in the day as part of its fact-finding mission. The inspection and the meetings with various stakeholders will continue on Friday.

The empowered committee was constituted in 2002 on the orders of the Supreme Court for monitoring of implementation of the apex court’s orders and to place the non-compliance cases before it, including in respect of encroachment removals, implementation of working plans, compensatory afforestation, plantations and other conservation issues.

The committee is undertaking the visit on the direction of the Supreme Court, which stayed tree felling and other works by the TGIIC.

The apex court on April 3 took serious note of the alleged destruction of vast green cover by the TGIIC in violation of environmental norms.

A bench of Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice A.G. Masih had asked Telangana Chief Secretary what was the urgency to undertake development activity, including clearing of trees.

The apex court’s observations came after the Registrar of the Telangana High Court visited the land and submitted a report on its direction the same day.

The registrar stated in his report that about 100 acres of land had been cleared. Observing that it is a serious matter, the bench wanted to know if the authorities had required permission.

The court observed that even if it's not forest land, the permission of the CEC should be taken to cut trees. It asked CEC to visit the site and submit a report by April 16.

The apex court also asked the state government to file an affidavit and posted the matter for further hearing on April 16.

The court heard the matter after senior advocate K. Parmeshwar, the amicus curiae in forest cases, made an oral mention of tree felling on the land.

The state government has already passed an order allotting the land to TGIIC for developing the same and auctioning it for setting up IT parks. The government claims that there is no forest on the land.

--IANS

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