Illegal encroachment of university's land; Hyderabad Varsity students conduct 'protest walk'

Hyderabad: Youth for Inclusive and Sustainable Society (YISS) in University of Hyderabad on Saturday conducted a 'protest walk' to the encroached land inside the campus and formed a human chain to condemn University administration's decision allowing 'land mafia' to encroach its land.

The walk started on morning 7am and wind up at 9 am.

Speaking to Madhyamam Sreeja Bachala, the President of YISS said that "All the animals and wildlife are coming into roads due to this land encroachment and deforestation. Because of Covid concern University administration is never allowing us to enter the campus. By keeping the students outside, University is giving opportunity for land mafia to encroach the land," she alleged

"Everything is going in a wrong way, we doubt that University administration is getting the support from political parties. We planned a peaceful walk towards nature as a form of our condemnation against this illegal land encroachment" she said.

Last month five students from AIOBCSA were arrested for protesting against the land encroachment inside Hyderabad University campus. Students alleged that Vice Chancellor has never responded to their demands. Students claimed, security guards have taken their photographs on Saturday morning for conducting the 'eco-friendly walk'.

"If we protect our nature it will give back to us in many ways. So we have made an eco-friendly walk. University staff has appointed around 25 security guards in back gate and many guards in the front gate. Earlier the land was around 5000 acres, later the University itself given the land to private owners" Sreeja added.

Hyderabad University is reportedly an archaeological megalithic site, around 315 species were used in Indian traditional medicine. Among that 39 species of plants belong to the group that faces extinction.

In 2017, a visiting team under Chief Conservator of Forest advised the University authorities to fortify the compound wall by using concertina wires to prevent outsiders from the walls.

In 2018, forest department had sent letter to chief conservator of forest by sketching out 500 acres of land in University can be maintained as 'conservative zone'.