SC Gives Telangana 6 Weeks for Forest Restoration Plan

New Delhi, Aug 13 (PTI) The Supreme Court has provided the Telangana government with a six-week period to devise a comprehensive plan for the restoration of the Kancha Gachibowli forest site. The court emphasized the necessity for the state to replant the trees that were uprooted. A bench, comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran, underscored the importance of reviving the forest area.

The Supreme Court reiterated its stance on development, clarifying that it does not oppose development but stresses the need for environmental protection. "Repeatedly, the court has emphasized that we support development, but it must be sustainable. Developmental projects should consider environmental and wildlife interests by implementing mitigating and compensatory measures. We would welcome any proposal from the state with such considerations," stated the bench, while scheduling the matter for discussion in six weeks.

Representing the Telangana government, Senior Advocate Abhishek Singhvi informed the court about the state's holistic approach in balancing environmental and wildlife concerns with development. In a prior hearing on May 15, the Supreme Court expressed concerns that the tree felling near the University of Hyderabad seemed "pre-planned" and warned the Telangana government that failure to restore the forest might result in imprisonment of their officials.

The Chief Justice remarked that the state needed to decide between restoring the forest or facing jail time for its officials. The court raised questions about why trees were felled during a long weekend when the courts were not operational. In response to the deforestation in Kancha Gachibowli Forest, the Supreme Court, on April 3, ordered a status quo to be maintained, except for actions to protect the existing trees.

On April 16, the Supreme Court criticized the Telangana government for its hurried tree-felling actions and instructed it to propose a detailed restoration plan for the 100 acres of deforested land. This plan was required if the government wanted to prevent severe actions against its chief secretary.

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