Hyderabad’s Kancha Gachibowli deforestation has left the country devastated. Being aware from television and social media about saving trees and wildlife seems to be only a part of entertainment. Even messages related to saving the planet could not save over 40,000 trees and hundreds of endangered wild animals.
Along with trees, the forest was home to native flora, a haven for local wildlife, and also breathing space for residents in a fast-urbanizing zone. By mid-March, the workers of the state government, through the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited (TGIIC), started digging the plot. Between March 30 and April 2nd, dozens of bulldozers converged on the site. Destructing land and scraping away the homes of wild animals.
Almost all of us are aware of the impacts of deforestation. In the process of building the future, humans are now risking health and quality of life. In order to build an IT park, the state government overlooked the consequences of clearing greenery that has been the lungs of Hyderabad. The incident will lead to a decrease in the amount of oxygen and an increase of 1-4 degrees Celsius in the adjoining localities of Tellapur, Gachibowli, and Nallagandla.
The Voice of Many
A successful future is necessary, so is our biodiversity. Many students and green activists protested against the proposed auction of clearing 400 acres of land. Protestors gathered at the main gate and tried to barge into the campus through another gate, leading to issues between them and the police. Even social media has been used to save the land. Hashtags like #TreesNotTowers and #SaveKanchaGachibowli has been trending locally and petitions are circulating with sit-in protests.
The protestors alleged that the government is destroying a vital lung space of Hyderabad by destroying the forest land. The students demands include immediate removal of JCBs from the area and a written assurance that the university would take steps to ensure the land is registered under the university. Where there is a will, there is a way.
The relentless campaigning by students of HCU and other universities, teachers, and civil society led the Supreme Court on the 3rd of April to direct the state government to stop the “alarming deforestation activities” until further orders. Apparently, there will not be any IT park project, but rebuilding of the forest and restoration of the issue.
What Happened to the Wildlife of Kancha Gachibowli?
A countless number of animals have been affected by the act of deforestation. Owls were seen in daylight, deer were eating from the garbage dump, snakes were crossing the road, and any other animals were seen in local areas roaming to find a shelter.
Different birds were spotted, forced to fly further into increasingly crowded urban patches or risk death due to exhaustion and lack of food. Most of the ground animals were killed or fled towards nearby colonies during the clearing operations. A sudden drop in the number of insects and pollinators has impacted nearby flowering plants and local biodiversity.
End Note
It is time for humans to realize the importance of land, trees, other living beings, and overall earth. Talking about sustainability, creating awareness about saving plants and biodiversity is not enough. What happened in Kancha Gachibowli forest is an example of how most of humanity is thinking about the future.
The place is more than a piece of land, it is the home and savior of humans residing in Hyderabad. We all witnessed a battle of nature vs. future that provides the number of people valuing natural heritage in the face of urban temptation. It is high time to realize that there is no future without nature.
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