Dia Mirza and Renu Desai Advocate for the Preservation of Kancha Forest in Hyderabad

Hyderabad, April 2 (NationPress) Actress and environmentalist Dia Mirza has voiced her opposition against the proposed establishment of IT parks spanning 400 acres in Kancha Gachibowli, Hyderabad, asserting that development that jeopardizes biodiversity equates to destruction.

The goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) expressed her support on 'X' this past Wednesday for the ongoing protests led by students from Hyderabad Central University (HCU) aimed at safeguarding the Kancha forest.

The Telangana government has signaled intentions to auction off this land for the creation of IT parks.

"Students are raising their voices for a future where nature thrives. Forests, not IT parks, provide young individuals with a pathway to a sustainable future. 'Development' that harms biodiversity is DESTRUCTION. Save Kancha Forest in Gachibowli, Hyderabad," Dia Mirza stated, who has her roots in Hyderabad.

Actress Renu Desai also made a heartfelt plea to Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to preserve the forest for upcoming generations. She shared a video calling on the Chief Minister to reconsider plans for the proposed IT parks.

"Yes, development is absolutely necessary. There’s no question about that. We need IT parks, skyscrapers, and buildings, but I implore you to consider if there’s a way to save these 400 acres. We need oxygen, we need trees, and we require an ecosystem around us. I am pleading with you as a citizen of this state," she emphasized.

She highlighted that the state possesses thousands of acres of barren land suitable for IT park development.

YouTuber Dhruv Rathee also lent his support to the ongoing movement to protect the forest, declaring, "This is unacceptable," on 'X' and urged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to intervene and halt this destruction in Telangana.

Students from HCU, environmental activists, and opposition parties have been rallying against the government’s initiative to clear the forested land and auction it to private entities for IT parks.

Since Sunday, several bulldozers and earthmovers have been deployed by the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIDC) to clear trees and rocks. A group of students attempted to obstruct this activity, resulting in their arrests. Except for two protestors, the remaining were subsequently released by the police.

Student organizations, environmentalists, and opposition parties have accused the government of destroying forested areas that serve as habitats for various animal and bird species, and that contain trees, mushroom rocks, and two ponds.

Nevertheless, the state government has defended its IT park development plans, stating its aim is to generate employment opportunities for the youth's future. The government also clarified that it has not encroached upon any university-owned land.

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka addressed a news briefing on Tuesday evening, asserting that the land is government property and that its utilization is aimed at providing employment for the youth. He also assured that the government will safeguard biodiversity on the HCU campus.