Telangana forms ministerial group to resolve land row

The committee, comprising Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Industries and IT Minister D. Sridhar Babu and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, will consult with the Hyderabad Central University executive committee, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) and civil society groups, students’ delegation, and all stakeholders to resolve and give a way forward in Kancha Gachibowli land issue.

The move came hours after the Supreme Court stayed tree-felling and other developmental works on the land.

The Supreme Court on Thursday took a serious view of tree-felling on the land and directed the state government to stop all developmental activities on the site till further orders.

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

The apex court heard the matter after the Registrar of the Telangana High Court submitted a report after its order passed in the morning.

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 apex court then intervened to stay the tree-felling amid a huge row over the state government’s plans to develop the land and auction it for setting up IT companies.

HCU students and environmental activists have been staging protests for the last few days, demanding the government not to go ahead with its plans as this would destroy biodiversity on the land and finish a vital lung space for the city.

Opposition BRS, BJP, CPI, CPI-M, and student groups affiliated to them have backed the protest by the students.

The Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) deployed several bulldozers on Sunday to clear the land, triggering massive protests by students.

According to the Vata Foundation, which filed a PIL in Telangana High Court, the land has three lakes, several rocks, and many species of animals and birds, and they need to be protected. It accused the government of acting against the Supreme Court guidelines.

The state government defended its stand and clarified that it has not taken even an inch of the land belonging to the university.

The government claimed that after winning the court case relating to the land, it protected the government land worth thousands of crores from falling into the hands of private persons and wants to use the same to provide employment to the youth by setting up IT companies.

Addressing a joint press conference on Tuesday, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Sridhar Babu, and Srinivas Reddy had slammed the opposition BRS and BJP for spreading lies about the land for political gains. They appealed to the students not to get misled by the opposition parties.

They also cautioned that stringent action would be taken against those creating hurdles for government works and development.