Hyderabad: Despite students’ protests, excavators continue to clear forested lands in Kancha Gachibowli

While eight excavators were brought in at the UoH east campus on Sunday afternoon, their numbers were increased to 40 in the night to speed up the works, including removal of trees, plants and leveling the land

Hyderabad: Despite vehement protest from the University of Hyderabad (UoH) students, excavators continued to operate in Kancha Gachibowli all through Sunday night and Monday, clearing the forested land that has been put up for auction by the State government.

While eight excavators were brought in at the Kancha Gachibowli abutting UoH campus on Sunday afternoon, they were increased to 50 on the same night to speed up the works.

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As the excavators rolled in, clearing trees and levelling the land, there were reports suggesting the spotted deer, peacocks and other birds sent distressing signals. A video purportedly of a large number of peacocks screaming in unison went viral on social media.

According to the aerial view images shared by the university students, a large extent of the forested land has already been cleared by excavators.

Students alleged the government was ruthlessly taking over the prime university land.

“From the west, it pushes its way from behind LH-10, running along the edges of Buffalo Lake and Peacock Lake, encroaching on spaces that generations of students have cherished. It bulldozes past SN School, creeping right up to the edge of Gachibowli Stadium. And to the south? It does not stop—it stretches greedily all the way to ISB, even engulfing the new east campus and Mushroom Rock. This is more than just encroachment and it’s a blatant sell-out of public land, a land heist in broad daylight,” students said.

Ever since the State government decided to auction 400-acres of land in Kancha Gachibowli, university student, teaching and non-teaching communities have been up in arms. The protestors have been arguing that any development activity would spell doom for the flora and fauna, creating ecological imbalance besides destroying lung space for the city.

Meanwhile, some university students reportedly continued to be under police detention after they were detained during protests on Sunday. According to students, Rohit Bond, a student, who was detained by the police on Sunday was yet to be released.

Rohit’s health condition has not been good and having high BP, students said, adding that another student Erram Naveen who went to bring the detained students from Madhapur Police Station was also detained and an FIR was registered against them.