Hyderabad University Land Dispute Escalates to Telangana High Court Amid Protests
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Synopsis
The ongoing land dispute near Hyderabad Central University has escalated to the Telangana High Court, as students file a PIL against the allotment to TGIIC, citing environmental concerns and the land's rich biodiversity.
Key Takeaways
- Students file PIL against TGIIC's land allotment.
- Vata Foundation seeks protection for biodiversity.
- High Court to hear multiple petitions.
- Protests erupt over clearing of land.
- Long-standing ownership dispute continues.
Hyderabad, April 1 (NationPress) The controversy surrounding the proposed auction of 400 acres adjacent to Hyderabad Central University has reached the Telangana High Court on Tuesday, sparked by a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by several students. They are urging the court to nullify the land allotment made to the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) by the state government.
A division bench of the High Court, led by Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul, is scheduled to address the PIL filed by the students as well as a prior petition from the Vata Foundation, an NGO dedicated to environmental conservation, on Wednesday.
The Vata Foundation submitted its PIL on March 20, which was heard the same day in the High Court. In its plea to overturn the government’s order from June of last year that allotted land to TGIIC, the petitioner’s counsel highlighted the land's rich biodiversity.
The court was informed that this land is home to numerous species, including animals, plants, mushroom rocks, as well as lakes populated by buffalo and peacocks. The division bench has adjourned the hearing until April 7 and has directed the state government and TGIIC to respond within ten days.
The Vata Foundation is advocating for the land to be designated as a deemed forest and declared a national park under Section 35 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act.
The petitioner’s lawyer also informed the court that the HCU campus possesses all characteristics of biodiversity hotspots and is ecologically sensitive, a fact recognized by the Supreme Court in the Godavarman case for granting deemed forest status.
Students at the university initiated protests recently as TGIIC began clearing trees and rocks for the auction aimed at developing IT parks. In light of this ongoing activity, students sought an urgent hearing in the High Court.
The counsel for Vata Foundation also reported to the court that TGIIC has deployed bulldozers and earthmovers to remove the trees, requesting an expedited hearing of the PIL.
The High Court confirmed it would address both petitions on Wednesday.
This land ownership dispute stretches back two decades, with the university asserting its claim. Following a prolonged legal battle, the High Court ruled in 2022 that no deed of conveyance existed to confirm the government’s transfer of land to the university.
The university contended that the 400-acre tract is part of the 2,324 acres granted to it in 1975. The court established that, without such a deed, the government retains ownership. Last year, the Supreme Court upheld this ruling.
Actions taken by TGIIC to clear the forested land have incited significant backlash from students and environmental activists. The university has witnessed protests for three consecutive days as of Tuesday.
Opposition parties have also intensified their demonstrations, with BJP legislators being detained by police while attempting to march to the university.
These opposition parties accuse the government of environmental destruction, while the ruling Congress party refutes these claims and criticizes the opposition for politicizing the situation, despite the court's ruling affirming government ownership of the land.
