The University of Hyderabad (UoH) is now in the midst of a major controversy over a 400-acre land tract in Kancha Gachibowli, which is bordering its own campus. The Telangana government has announced plans to integrate the plot of land into an IT park, prompting large-scale protests by students, environmentalists, and opposition parties.
The dispute has been ongoing for more than two decades, with the state government and the university both laying claim to the land. In 2022, the Telangana High Court held that, without a registered deed of conveyance, the land is the government’s—a ruling upheld by the Supreme Court in 2024.
In spite of the court decisions, the recent government actions to deforest the land have renewed the opposition. The students and staff claim that the land is ecologically sensitive, with varied flora and fauna, such as peacocks. They have conducted indefinite protests and boycotts of classes, calling for an end to land-clearing operations and official declaration of the land as part of the university.
Environmental groups, including the Vata Foundation, have filed Public Interest Litigations to declare the land a “deemed forest” and a national park under the Wildlife (Protection) Act. The Telangana High Court reacted by temporarily suspending excavation activities and ordering additional hearings. The Supreme Court has also stepped in, ordering the state to suspend tree cutting and requiring an inspection of the site.
The situation is still fluid with ongoing legal proceedings and demonstrations. The resolution of this conflict will have serious consequences for environmental protection, urban planning, and the independence of educational institutions within the region.
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