The Supreme Court held Telangana’s chief secretary personally responsible for the government’s activities after taking suo motu cognizance of the extensive tree-cutting in the Kancha Gachibowli neighborhood close to the University of Hyderabad. Deeply concerned, the court ordered a halt to all activity in the area, with the exception of protecting the trees that were already there, and issued a severe warning that noncompliance would have dire repercussions.
Significant deforestation was revealed in a report filed by the Telangana High Court’s Registrar (Judicial). Following its evaluation of the findings, the Supreme Court questioned the necessity of the tree removal and asked the state administration to clarify whether the necessary environmental approvals had been secured.
In particular, the court sought answers regarding whether an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) certificate was granted and whether the necessary authorization from forest authorities was obtained prior to carrying out such extensive devastation. The court emphasized that the existence of peacocks and other species in the region suggested that it was a wooded habitat and asked, “What was the compelling urgency to undertake these activities?”
Large areas of land had been cleared, with heavy equipment spread across almost 100 acres, according to photographic evidence presented to the court. The court’s injunction was unambiguous: the Chief Secretary would be held personally accountable if all activities in the area did not stop until additional directives were issued. In a striking remark, the court cautioned the Chief Secretary, stating, “If you want to enjoy state hospitality, one can’t help it,” hinting at potential legal repercussions for non-compliance.
Earlier in the day, the Telangana administration, who was represented by prominent counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi, insisted that the property in question was not a forest and that there was no more deforestation occurring. Singhvi said, “There is absolutely no forest there.” The state’s lawyer claimed that only shrubs were being removed when the court questioned them about the destruction of trees.
Concerns about the abrupt tree-cutting over the weekend were initially voiced by students and environmental groups. Judicial intervention resulted from their protests and indignation, which took the issue into the public eye. The existence of a lake close to the deforested region was also disclosed in reports submitted to the court, which heightened worries about ecological harm.
The Supreme Court was notified by the amicus curiae that the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) was already investigating the issue and would have to submit a report outlining the causes of the deforestation. While acknowledging this, the court emphasized that stopping additional environmental harm should be the top concern right now. “That’s there, but we need to stop these activities first,” it stated firmly.
Under Rule 16(1) of the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Rules, 2023, the Supreme Court has already ordered states to establish expert committees to supervise development in environmentally sensitive areas. The committee for Telangana was established on March 15, 2025. The top court questioned the excessive haste with which the property was cleared before the committee had even had a chance to evaluate the environmental impact, expressing dismay at the way deforestation started as soon as the committee was established.
