Supreme Court halts Telangana tree felling until further orders
text_fields
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered a complete halt to all activities on the land adjacent to the University of Hyderabad, except those necessary for the protection of trees, amid concerns over large-scale tree felling by the Telangana government.
A bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih described the issue as a "very serious matter," citing an interim report from the Telangana High Court’s registrar that painted an "alarming picture" of extensive deforestation in the area. The report indicated that a significant number of trees had been felled, prompting the court to seek urgent explanations from the state government.
The bench directed Telangana’s chief secretary to clarify the "compelling urgency" behind the developmental activities, including tree removal, and to confirm whether the state had obtained an environmental impact assessment certificate for the project. The court scheduled the next hearing for April 16.
Earlier in the day, the court had taken cognizance of the tree felling and instructed the Telangana High Court's registrar (judicial) to immediately visit the site and assess the situation.
With PTI inputs