Supreme Court-appointed committee wants Kancha Gachibowli to be declared forest land

The committee has also issued strong corrective measures

Hyderabad: The Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has exposed a pattern of systematic violations by the Telangana government in the Kancha Gachibowli forest area.

The committee has also issued strong corrective measures, including declaration of the area as forest land, with control handed to the Forest department.

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The addendum to Report No. 18 of 2025, submitted in April this year, in connection with Suo Moto Writ Petition (Civil) No. 3 of 2025, points to deliberate deforestation, data suppression, and disregard for environmental and constitutional obligations.

The report confirms that 104.95 acres of forest-like land, comprising very dense forest (2.60 acre), moderately dense forest (57.66 acre) and open forest (17.20 acre) were illegally cleared. This was done without mandatory clearances, violating forest laws and Supreme Court directives.

In a telling admission of intent, the Telangana government first submitted a report in April 2024 identifying 43 lakh acres in the State as forest land. Just two months later, the same report was withdrawn without scientific justification. The CEC terms this a deliberate attempt to deny legal protection to forest lands.

The report stated that the area, recognised as an ecological hotspot, was home to over 100 native tree species, four lakes and numerous wildlife, including deer, peacocks and reptiles. The committee noted that deforestation has led to permanent ecological damage in the area.

Further, the CEC found that private contractor Delta Corporation felled 125 non-exempted trees in violation of the WALTA Act, with the TGIIC failing to supervise or intervene. The CEC said this reflects institutional apathy.

The report pointed to breaches of Articles 21 and 48A of the Constitution, stating that the government failed its duty to preserve forests for current and future generations. The Doctrine of Public Trust was also ignored, as State lands were misused for commercial interests, the committee added.

The March 2025 Expert Committee constituted by the State lacked environmental scientists, forest officers, or remote sensing professionals, prompting the CEC to recommend its immediate re-constitution.

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CEC recommendations

• Declaration of the area as forest land, with control handed to Forest Department
• Restoration of cleared land through native plantations, conservation work
• Declaration of the region as a Conservation Reserve under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
• Protection of all water bodies under Wetlands Rules, 2017
• Closure of sewage outlets into UoH within 12 months
• Formation of high-level coordination committee to ensure compliance and proper forest classification