The Telangana High Court deferred the hearing on the alleged destruction of 400 acres in Kancha Gachibowli forest for IT development until April 24.

HYDERABAD: A division bench of the Telangana high court on Monday deferred the hearing in the alleged destruction of Kancha Gachibowli forest for now.
The bench of Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Renuka Yara, however, directed the state, its revenue, forest, and police wings to file their counters by April 24, the next date of hearing.
The bench was hearing a batch of PILs filed by Vata Foundation, HCU Students Union and others who questioned the clearing of the 400 acres in survey number 25 of the Kancha Gachibowli for the state’s ambitious IT infrahub to be developed through TGIIC.
Upon being briefed about the alleged large-scale destruction of the area rendering the existing wildlife homeless, the Supreme Court, it can be recalled, fumed at the state and stayed the whole process. It will hear the case again on April 16 and sought replies from the state on whether it followed the process prescribed under forest laws and also the mandate of the Supreme Court while dealing with deemed forests.
Vata foundation, one of the PIL petitioners, urged the high court to defer the hearing here as the apex court is seized of the matter. Senior counsel S Niranjan Reddy informed the HC bench that the apex court has directed the central empowered committee to study the area and to report back.
Chief secretary was also asked to file an affidavit before the Supreme Court on whether the state followed norms like environment impact study, obtaining the required permissions like environmental clearance etc.
Appearing for the state forest department, senior counsel Dr. Menaka Guruswamy stated that those opposing the project have resorted to a vicious campaign by creating and circulating fake images of peacocks and deer being petrified due to the alleged destruction.
They are misusing social media by spreading these fake images and news through them, she said while urging the court to direct the police to furnish a preliminary probe report on such vicious efforts. The bench said it is open for all the departments to file their counters, status reports etc, and posted the case to April 24.