The Supreme Court on Wednesday delivered a strong message to the Telangana government, cautioning against the rampant use of bulldozers to clear forests in the name of sustainable development. The court was hearing a suo motu case concerning the large-scale deforestation in the Kancha Gachibowli area, adjacent to the University of Hyderabad.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai and Justices K. Vinod Chandran and Joymalya Bagchi observed that while sustainable development is vital, it cannot be used as a justification for overnight destruction of natural ecosystems. “I am myself an advocate for sustainable development, but that doesn’t mean that overnight you should employ 30 bulldozers and clear all the jungle,” remarked Chief Justice Gavai.
The court’s comments came amid continuing scrutiny of the Telangana government’s actions that led to the felling of hundreds of trees over a long weekend, a move the bench said appeared to be pre-planned to evade judicial oversight. The Chief Justice reiterated the warning issued earlier: the state must choose between restoring the forest or facing possible imprisonment of its officials.
Senior advocate K. Parameshwar, acting as amicus curiae, informed the bench that several private parties wished to respond to the affidavit filed by the state. The court took note of this and scheduled the next hearing for August 13.
The Supreme Court had initially taken suo motu cognisance of the deforestation on April 3 and ordered a status quo to protect the remaining trees. On April 16, the court criticised the Telangana government for acting in haste and ordered it to submit a concrete plan to restore the 100 acres of cleared land. The court also warned that failure to do so could lead to “severe action” against the state’s chief secretary.
