Hyderabad, once celebrated for its blend of heritage and modernity, now stands at a critical juncture where its ecological future hangs in the balance. The Telangana Congress government, led by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, has ignited a firestorm of controversy by pushing to auction 400 acres of biodiverse land near the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) in Kancha Gachibowli. This move, cloaked in the guise of “development,” is nothing short of a brazen assault on Hyderabad’s environment, exposing the Congress party’s relentless greed for power and utter disregard for the state’s ecological heritage. As citizens, we must rise above political divides to protect our city’s green lungs and demand accountability from those plundering Telangana’s natural wealth for short-term gains.
The Historical Context: HCU’s Land and Its Sacred Legacy
The story of HCU’s land begins in 1974, when the University of Hyderabad was established under a constitutional mandate, a testament to its significance in the Telangana movement. The university was allocated 2,324 acres in Kancha Gachibowli, a sprawling expanse intended to foster academic excellence while preserving the area’s ecological balance. This land, rich with unique rock formations, two lakes (Peacock and Buffalo), and over 455 species of flora and fauna, including 734 medicinal plants and 220 bird species, was envisioned as a carbon sink and biodiversity hotspot. It was a gift to Hyderabad, a sanctuary for learning and nature.
However, the sanctity of this allocation has been repeatedly violated. Over the decades, successive governments chipped away at HCU’s estate, diverting land to various projects. In 2003, the Chandrababu Naidu-led government allocated 400 acres to a private entity, IMG Bharata, for sports facilities—a decision later canceled by Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. The Congress government now claims this land, citing a 2022 Telangana High Court ruling, upheld by the Supreme Court, that no legal deed proves HCU’s ownership of the 400 acres. This legal loophole has become the Congress’s pretext to auction the land, valued at ₹10,000–15,000 crore, to fund its populist freebie schemes, with no regard for the environmental catastrophe it will unleash.
Congress’s Environmental Hypocrisy: A Green Murder in Broad Daylight
The Congress party’s actions at HCU expose its hypocrisy and zero concern for the environment. While its national leaders, like Rahul Gandhi, posture as champions of ecological causes elsewhere, the Telangana Congress has unleashed bulldozers on one of Hyderabad’s last green lungs. On March 30, 2025, dozens of earthmovers began clearing the 400-acre parcel, felling trees and displacing wildlife, including deer, peacocks, and the vulnerable Indian star tortoise. Students and activists, under the banner “Save HCU,” bravely confronted the machinery, only to face police brutality, with 53 arrests and allegations of excessive force.
The government’s claim that the land is not a forest is a sham. A 2008-09 study by HCU and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)-India documented the area’s rich biodiversity, a fact echoed by environmentalists who warn of an “ecological disaster.” The absence of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before clearing the land is a glaring violation of environmental laws, yet the Congress government presses on, prioritizing profit over the planet, why Hyderabad’s future must mimic Delhi’s toxic air?
The Congress’s arrogance is staggering. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy dismisses protesters as “misled” and insists the land belongs to the state, citing revenue records and a supposed joint survey in July 2024—a claim HCU’s Registrar Devesh Nigam has refuted, stating no such survey occurred. The government’s assurances of preserving rock formations like Mushroom Rock and preparing an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) ring hollow when bulldozers operate under the cover of night and court holidays.
A Legacy of Exploitation: Congress’s Power-Hungry Agenda
The Congress party has long exploited Telangana’s wealth to cling to power, and the HCU land grab is a textbook example. With no coherent revenue generation plan for the next five years, the Reddy government is eyeing government lands to bankroll its election promises—freebies designed to buy votes rather than build a sustainable future. The auction of 400 acres, strategically located in Hyderabad’s IT corridor, is expected to fetch billions, but at what cost? The destruction of a biodiversity hotspot, the displacement of wildlife, and the loss of a critical urban forest that regulates Hyderabad’s climate and groundwater.
This is not development; it is devastation. Hyderabad, already grappling with rapid urbanization, has the potential to create more ecological parks, Instead, Congress is turning a green haven into a concrete jungle, sacrificing Telangana’s ecological heritage for real estate greed. The government’s claim of creating 5 lakh jobs and Rs 50,000 crore in investments is a hollow promise when weighed against the irreversible loss of greenery.
The Silence of the Left and the Complicity of BRS
The silence of the Left lobby, typically vocal on environmental issues, is deafening. Known for knocking on doors at midnight for causes they champion; the Left has been conspicuously absent as bulldozers raze HCU’s land. This selective outrage exposes their hypocrisy and alignment with Congress when it suits their narrative.
The BRS, while vocal now, is not without blame. During its tenure, it too attempted to allocate HCU land to private players, showing a similar disregard for the environment. However, KTR’s recent pledge to reclaim the 400 acres and build Telangana’s largest ecological park if BRS returns to power is a step in the right direction—one that Congress would do well to emulate.
BJP’s Intervention: A Ray of Hope
Amid this ecological carnage, it was the prompt action of BJP leaders that offered a glimmer of hope. Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy and other BJP MPs, including Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Konda Visweswara Reddy, raised the issue in Delhi, urging Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to intervene. Their efforts, coupled with pressure from the Union Environment Ministry, led to the Telangana High Court halting land-clearing activities until April 3, 2025. The Supreme Court’s subsequent order on April 16, 2025, demanding the restoration of 100 deforested acres and protection of displaced wildlife, was a stinging rebuke to the Congress government’s reckless actions.
The BJP’s stance underscores a critical truth: environmental conservation transcends politics. While Congress and BRS bicker over land ownership, it is the BJP’s focus on ecological preservation that has temporarily stalled the destruction. Citizens must rally behind such efforts, regardless of party lines, to save Hyderabad’s greenery.
A Call to Action: Rise Above Politics, Save Bhagyanagar’s Future
The HCU land row is not just about 400 acres; it is about the soul of Hyderabad and the future of Telangana. The Congress government’s arrogance, coupled with its visionless pursuit of short-term gains, is pushing the state toward a more devastating fate than even KCR’s tenure. Both Congress and BRS have exploited Telangana’s resources to retain power, but the cost of their greed is borne by the environment and the people.
Citizens of Bhagyanagar, this is our moment to act. We must rise above political affiliations and unite to protect our city’s green lungs. Join the students of HCU, who have bravely faced police batons to defend their campus. Support environmental activists like the Vata Foundation, which has filed Public Interest Litigations to declare the land a national park. Demand an independent Environmental Impact Assessment and a halt to the auction.
Organize protests, sign petitions, and use social media to amplify the #SaveHCUBioDiversity campaign. Write to your elected representatives, urging them to prioritize sustainable development over real estate profits. Bhagyanagar’s future depends on our collective resolve to preserve its ecological treasures. Let us not allow the Congress government’s greed to rob our children’s right to clean air and a thriving environment.
In the words of HCU Student Leader K Balakrishna, “We will not let HCU’s land be stolen! As ABVP, we’ve exposed the Congress government’s negligence in protecting our campus boundaries. I call on every citizen to stand with us, demand accountability, and safeguard our university’s heritage from those who plunder Telangana’s wealth for power!”
The time for silence is over. The time for action is now. Let us stand with the peacocks, the deer, and the students of HCU to save Hyderabad’s green heart.
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