The Supreme Court on Thursday issued a stern warning to the Chief Secretary of the Telangana government for the deforestation caused by the authorities in Hyderabad's Kancha Gachibowli..The Court on March 04 had ordered state governments and union territories to constitute Expert Committees for identification of forest areas and also made it clear that Chief Secretaries would be held responsible for any lapse including reduction of forest land..A bench of Justices BR Gavai and Augustine George Masih questioned the "alarming urgency" to start the deforestation in Kancha Gachibowli merely days after the Telangana government constituted the Expert Committee, and without undertaking the identification exercise."Chief Secretary will go to temporary prison constructed on the same spot near the lake...if the Chief Secretary wants to enjoy the State hospitality, one can't help it," Justice Gavai remarked.The Court also said,"This is a very serious matter. Can't take law into your own hands.".This morning, the top court took suo motu note of the reports of deforestation at the site and directed the Telangana government to ensure that no further felling of trees takes place there.The Court also ordered the Telangana High Court Registrar (Judicial) to forthwith visit the site and submit an interim status report to the top court by 3:30 PM. The officer then rushed to the site and submitted a report before the matter was taken up for hearing again around 4 PM.The report revealed that huge developmental activity was being undertaken in the forest area."The report of the Ld. Registrar (Judicial) as well as the photographs sent by him depicts an alarming picture. Huge number of trees are being felled, apart from huge machinery is being deployed to destroyed an area of around 100 acres. The report also has found that certain peacocks, deers and birds were also seen in the said area... prima facie indicates that there existed a forest inhibited by the wild animals," the Court noted. It also noted that there is a lake nearby to the site. In this backdrop, the Court ordered registration of a suo motu case on the issue. .It further issued the following directions:a. Chief Secretary to answer to the following queries: 1. What was the compelling urgency to undertake the developmental activity, including the removal of trees from the alleged forest area? 2. Whether for such development activity, the State has called for the environmental impact assessment certificate. 3. Whether for felling of tress, requisite permission from the forest authorities or under any other local statutes has been opted or not? 4. What is the necessity of having officers at serial no. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10 in the Committee constituted under orders of the State of Telangana. b. CEC to personally visit the site in question and submit report by April 16.c. Until further orders, no activity of any sort except the protection of the trees already exiting shall be undertaken by State.The Court further warned that in case its directions are not complied with in letter and spirit, the Chief Secretary of State would be personally held responsible for the same..Pertinently, the bench had taken note of the issue today after Senior Advocate K Parameshwar, who is amicus curiae in the TN Godavarman matter on environmental concerns, apprised it of news reports showing tree felling at the forest area.The case concerns a 400-acre parcel of land in Kancha Gachibowli village, which the State proposes to auction through the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) to develop IT infrastructure.However, the move is being protested on grounds that the land comprises forest land. Those opposing the plan are arguing that the area is an eco-sensitive zone which serves as the ‘lungs’ of Hyderabad city.Among those who registered strong opposition to the move were students from the nearby University of Hyderabad, who have clashed with the police over the last few days amid attempts to raze large parts of the land. According to reports, two former students were arrested as well..Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan also appeared in the matter.
