Kancha Gachibowli is forest land, says SC-appointed panel

The Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee has declared that the 400-acres of disputed land at Kancha Gachibowli adjacent to the University of Hyderabad is forest land; and not a revenue land as claimed by the Telangana government.

- Srinivasa Rao Apparasu

HYDERABAD:

In its final report submitted to the Supreme Court on Thursday, the CEC headed by director general of forests Siddhanta Das and officials from the Union ministry of environment and forests Chandra Prakash Goyal and Sunil Limaye, recommended that the disputed land at Kancha Gachibowli be declared as forest land, with the state forest department taking control of its management.

A division bench of the Supreme Court comprising Chief Justice of India B R Gavi and Justice Augustine George Masih ordered the Telangana government to restore the destroyed vegetation in the Kancha Gachibowli land and warned of stern action if the order was not complied with.

"The Telangana government has to restore the forest or its officials could land in jail," the bench said.

In its final report, which is an addendum to the interim report submitted to the Supreme Court on April 16, the CEC said the land parcel that has been cleared of vegetation shall be restored to its original shape by raising a dense plantation of native tree and shrub species by the state forest department in the coming rainy season.