The Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran made it clear that the forest destroyed in Kancha Gachibowli earlier this year must be revived.
“The state can have an IT park (and all) away from the place. Multiples of the trees uprooted in the area have to be planted,” the bench observed. The court was hearing its suo motu PIL initiated after reports emerged in April 2025 about large-scale deforestation in the Kancha Gachibowli region of Hyderabad.
Telangana halts all tree felling
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Telangana, informed the bench that, in compliance with earlier court orders, all tree-cutting activities in the area had been stopped. He added that the state was working on a comprehensive development plan that would protect the environment while allowing for necessary urban growth. “Officially, there should be no concern now. We want to come up with a big plan in which our forests and lakes are protected. This will take some time,” Singhvi said.
‘We will give you real compliments’: CJI
Responding to the state’s submissions, CJI Gavai said, “If you come with a good proposal, we’ll withdraw all our earlier compliments and give you real compliments. We want the environment to be preserved.” He assured that if Telangana presents a well-balanced plan, the court would consider withdrawing the suo motu proceedings. The court granted the state six to eight weeks to file its proposal.
The bench reiterated that it was not opposed to development projects but insisted they must be sustainable.“Time and again, this court has observed that it is not against development; however, development has to be sustainable development,” the judges noted.
They also stressed the importance of mitigating and compensatory measures whenever developmental activities impact forests or wildlife habitats. In previous hearings, the Supreme Court had taken a stern view of the destruction, warning that officials, including the Chief Secretary, could face jail if found responsible for the illegal felling.