The cries of peacocks echo through Kancha Gachibowli as bulldozers and JCBs move in, marking yet another chapter in Hyderabad’s ongoing struggle between urbanization and ecological preservation.
The 400-acre land, a vital green lung for the city, is at the center of a heated debate. While the Congress government, led by Chife Minister, A Revanth Reddy, defends the moves for monetization of this land as a financial necessity, critics like BRS working president K T Rama contend that it represents a “brazen green murder.”
There is no denying the fact that Hyderabad’s green spaces are under siege, and the battle between urban development and ecological preservation has reached a fever pitch. The Kancha Gachibowli land, a vital green lung for the city, Political and environmental ideologies are at conflict today.
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi leadership has come down heavily on the Congress government actions. But yet their own track record on land development projects still raises eyebrows. During the BRS regime, over 2,000 acres of prime government land were, as alleged by the current government, was reportedly encroached upon, valued at an estimated Rs 50,000 crore.
These lands, originally owned by departments like Revenue, Endowments, Wakf, and Forest, were transferred under controversial circumstances, often through Government Order 59 (GO 59). Specific cases, such as the 380 acres in Siddipet and 8.5 acres in Raidurg, highlight the lack of transparency and the facilitation of these transactions through changes in land record systems.
Development projects in Raidurg, Khajaguda, and Neopolis during the BRS regime also hadcome under question for causing significant ecological loss. This raises critical questions about accountability and the true commitment of political leaders to environmental preservation. Environmental activists and students from the University of Hyderabad have taken to the streets.
They are emphasizing the area’s rich biodiversity, which includes over 200 bird species and several protected animals. They argue that the destruction of this green space will add to the air pollution, increase urban heat, and disrupt the ecological balance. The protests have drawn attention to the broader issue of Hyderabad’s dwindling green cover, with activists questioning the priorities of political parties.
It is for the current government to choose between the short-term financial gains over long-term sustainability. As bulldozers and JCBs continue to reshape Hyderabad’s landscape, the call of wildlife invokes a sense of urgency, a plea from nature to protect its pristine beauty and delicate balance. This call is not just from the majestic peacock or the deer.
It’s from the flutter of countless wings, the whisper of the wind through forests, and the chorus of creatures whose existence is intertwined with our own. Across the globe, wild spaces are fast disappearing under the pressure of urbanization. Are we going to be the same. Can Hyderabad afford to lose the precious green spaces still left out?
