Declare Kancha Gachibowli land as conservation reserve, UoH students to SC-appointed committee

The students submit detailed report along with wildlife photographs seeking preservation of biodiversity, protection of lakes

Hyderabad: The University of Hyderabad (UoH) Students Union on Thursday urged the Supreme Court constituted Central Empowered Committee (CEC) on Kancha Gachibowli land issue to declare 400-acre biodiversity-rich land, as conservation reserve with legal protection.

The students union met the committee and submitted a detailed report along with wildlife photographs seeking preservation of the biodiversity – 237 bird species, including migratory birds, endangered species like Indian Star Tortoise, Spotted Deer, Indian Rock Python and Monitor Lizards.

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They sought protection of SR, Peacock and Buffalo lakes, which support wildlife besides replenishing groundwater.

The apex court-appointed committee headed by Siddhant Das with CP Goyal, Sunil Limaye and JR Bhatt as members visited the city as part of inspection of the 400-acre land in Kancha Gachibowli, adjoining the UoH campus, which the State government cleared for auctioning for generating revenue.

Students union led by its president Umesh Ambedkar also sought a transparent environmental impact assessment and public consultation with students, faculty and experts before another leaf falls in the forested land.

Seeking protection for the remaining biodiversity, students urged the committee to allow the stakeholders within and outside the campus to carry out the restoration of the destroyed forest, ensuring restoration was done with utmost care to the forest ecosystem.

Speaking to ‘Telangana Today’, Umesh Ambedkar said the committee responded positively to the representation that included a detailed document on Kancha Gachibowli biodiversity. “We requested the committee to handover the land to the UoH for research and conservation purposes,” he added.