Police lathi-charge at Hyderabad Central University, HC stays levelling of trees till April 3

In a related development Telangana High Court directed the state government not to continue levelling of land and cut trees till April 3.

Hyderabad: Police lathi-charged protesting students and faculty who attempted to cross barricades at the east campus of Hyderabad Central University (HCU) on Wednesday.

Students have been boycotting classes following the University of Hyderabad Students Union's call for indefinite protests until the Telangana government withdraws plans to auction 400 acres of land adjacent to the university campus. 

In a related development Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed the state government not to continue levelling of land and cut trees till April 3, the next hearing of the case filed by environmentalists and students.

Several celebrity influencers have pledged support to the students' environmental protection efforts. Notably, NSUI members, the student wing of Congress, condemned the arrests of HCU students and urged the government to preserve the environment.

The University of Hyderabad Teachers Association (UHTA) organized Wednesday's protest, which saw participation from more than 200 faculty members, non-teaching staff, and approximately 700 students. A rally proceeded from Dr BR Ambedkar Auditorium toward the East campus, where the disputed 400 acres are located. However, police stopped the procession, and some protesting students were subjected to brutal lathi charges. The procession subsequently moved toward the university's main gate.

UHTA has issued several demands like immediate withdrawal of police forces from campus, halting the destruction of green cover by earthmovers, unconditional release of arrested students with no charges filed, and initiating the process of granting land title to the university within a month. The association also demanded an assessment of environmental damage to the disputed 400 acres by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

"The university should submit a representation to the Forest Department to declare the forested areas as a Bio-heritage reserve," said UHTA president Dr. Bhangya Bhunkya. "The university should seek court intervention to demand compensation from the State Government for 137 acres previously taken and 18 acres used for road development according to the signed MoU."

Dr Bhunkya further emphasized "Even though the State Government claims ownership of 400 acres, ownership doesn't confer rights to violate laws by destroying green cover and animal habitats. The university has been custodian of this land for the past 50 years, preserving its biodiversity intact. The rights of the university as custodian cannot be overridden by the State Government."

The UHTA president also noted that the original 2,324 acres allotted to the university specifically designated the land for educational purposes only. The State Government's plan to auction it for commercial multi-utility purposes violates this original order.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has addressed the controversy. MoEF's Assistant Inspector General of Forests, Ssundar, has written to the Telangana government's additional secretary for forests, requesting an immediate factual report on the issue.

The letter also called for legal action under the provisions of the Indian Forest Act, Wildlife Protection Act, and the Van Adhiniyam, as applicable, while ensuring no violations of other Acts or court and tribunal orders occur.