Telangana

Trending Today Destruction in Kancha Gachibowli ‘forest’ area depicts an ‘alarming picture’, says SC NCLT Rejects Insolvency Plea Against Zomato Over Payment Dispute Actor Hansika Motwani files a motion in the Bombay High Court to quash a FIR after being booked in a Section 498A case. Supreme Court slams Telangana CM for “making mockery” of anti-defection law Union Minister Kiren Rijiju: The Waqf Amendment Bill Is Prospective Rather Than Retrospective Supreme Court of India Significance of mitigating factors when awarding the death penalty. The Supreme Court permits the petitioner to get involved in ongoing proceedings but rejects another petition contesting the Places of Worship Act. Punjab & Haryana High Court: Child in Womb During Accident Is Subject To Reimbursement Under MV Act What it implies signifies Sam Altman claims that OpenAI’s GPUs are “melting” over Ghibli-style AI art Soldiers brave icy winds while we sip on hot cappuccinos: Delhi High Court slams denial of disability pension: Destruction in Kancha Gachibowli ‘forest’ area depicts an ‘alarming picture’, says SC NITU KUMARI 04 Apr 2025 Update: 03 Apr 2025 Case: IN RE KANCHA GACHIBOWLI FOREST STATE OF TELANGANA | SMW(C) No. 3/2025 Petitions filed by conservationists and students of the University of Hyderabad said the 400 acres of green cover fell under the category of ‘forest’ under the Forest Conservation Act. On Thursday, April 3, the Supreme Court of India issued an order to halt all forms of development in the Kancha Gachibowli neighborhood of Hyderabad, expressing dismay at the extensive tree-cutting that had taken place on hundreds of acres of property. The court ordered the Telangana Chief Secretary to provide an explanation of the “compelling urgency” that compelled the State government to use heavy machinery to flatten trees and excavate the land under the pretext of “developmental activity.” “Until further orders, no activity of any sort, except the protection of trees already existing, shall be undertaken by the State,” ordered a bench comprising Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice A.G. Masih, registering a suo motu case on the issue. “In case any of the directions issued by us are not complied with in true letter and spirit, the Chief Secretary of the State shall be held personally liable,” the bench warned. Court’s Queries to the Telangana Government The Court asked the Chief Secretary of the State of Telangana to file an affidavit answering the following specific queries: What was the compelling urgency to undertake the developmental activities, including the removal of trees from the alleged forest area? Whether for such development activity, the State has obtained the Environmental Impact Assessment certification? Whether for felling the trees, requisite permissions from the forest authorities or any other local statutes have been obtained? What is the necessity of having officers (specified in the order) in the committee constituted by the State of Telangana, inasmuch as prima facie they have nothing to do with the identification of forests? What is the State doing with the felled trees? PIL-Petitioners Argument According to the PIL petitioners, the government was acting flagrantly against two Supreme Court of India rulings, T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad v. Union of India and Ashok Kumar Sharma v. Union of India and Others, which instructed all states to establish committees to identify forests and areas that resembled forests in accordance with the dictionary definition of a forest. They also claimed that no environmental assessment had been carried out in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) notification from 2006, despite the site being put up for auction to create an IT park. In contrast, the State of Telangana argued that the petitioners’ allegations were based on Google photos and that the relevant site was “industrial land.” Analysis of the Court The bench had earlier in the day issued an interim order prohibiting the felling of trees in the vicinity and instructed the Telangana High Court‘s Registrar (Judicial) to visit the location and provide a report by 3:30 PM today. The Supreme Court noted that the Registrar (Judicial) had filed a report revealing that significant development work was being performed in the vicinity when the matter was taken up at 3:45 PM. According to the Court, the High Court’s Registrar (Judicial) reported an “alarming picture” of hundreds of acres being disturbed by the removal of numerous trees, which was done with the use of massive machinery and JCBs. Pictures of peacocks and deer escaping the area amid the destruction efforts were also cited by the Court. According to the Court, the report and the images suggested that there was a forest in the area that was home to wild animals. The Court observed that on March 15, the State of Telangana established a committee for forest land. In light of this, the Court questioned why there was “alarming urgency” in removing the trees when the statutory process to define the forest areas had not yet begun. Speaking on behalf of the State, Senior Advocate Gaurav Agarwal argued that the region was not a forest. But the bench did not find the case compelling. The bench inquired as to whether the necessary authorization was obtained for tree-cutting, even though the location was not a forest. “Forest or not, whether you have taken requisite permission for felling trees…100 acres in 2-3 days is something…we would only remind one sentence – howsoever high one may be, not above the law,” Justice B.R. Gavai said. Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as sadalawpublications@gmail.com. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Live Cases Destruction in Kancha Gachibowli ‘forest’ area depicts an ‘alarming picture’, says SC Destruction in Kancha Gachibowli ‘forest’ area depicts an ‘alarming picture’, says SC sadalawpublications@gmail.com • April 4, 2025 • Live cases • No Comments NCLT Rejects Insolvency Plea Against Zomato Over Payment Dispute NCLT Rejects Insolvency Plea Against Zomato Over Payment Dispute sadalawpublications@gmail.com • April 4, 2025 • Live cases • No Comments Actor Hansika Motwani files a motion in the Bombay High Court to quash a FIR after being booked in