Hyderabad: The Supreme Court-appointed Central Authorization Commission (CEC) began inspecting 400 acres of land near the University of Hyderabad on Thursday.
By the early morning, the road to the UOH East campus was closed. Students gathered near the gate, some holding placards, and some holding flash drives and documents, hoping to present their findings to the committee. “We are not even sure if we will be heard,” said a student from the Joint Action Committee.
The CEC, composed of four members of Siddhant Das, CP Goyal, Sunil Limaye and Jr Bhatt, was in Hyderabad under the direction of the Supreme Court, after all activities had been carried out on allegations of tree mining without environmental cleanup.
Following the ongoing appeal, a six-member student delegation met briefly with the MCR HRD PhD Institute committee. They presented detailed speeches urging the land to remain under the care of the university. “The campus has protected the area for decades. It’s a thriving ecosystem. If it survives until now, it’s because the university retains it.”
Two university faculty members submitted separate 50-page reports – one documenting recent changes and the other detailing biodiversity and tree density. Students also handed over pen drives to photos and videos of the website and urged the committee to allow students to participate in future live visits. Another student researcher told Deccan Chronicle.
Meanwhile, the Vata Foundation submitted a formal letter to the CEC, raising concerns about bulldozers on more than 100 acres of land and recommended immediate wildlife protection measures. The team asked for the installation of eight-foot fences to prevent animals from invading residential areas, closure of internal roads used as shortcuts, build the construction of solar water sources, and temporary shelter for animals exposed after tree cover. They also proposed to assist in afforestation before the monsoon that began in July.
TSIIC has erected signs at the site, claiming government ownership and has prepared the auction of land earlier. However, students and conservationists believe that land qualifies as “being considered a forest” and should be protected by law. The CEC, which is composed of the APEX court, aims to ensure environmental compliance and will submit its report on April 16.
“The government’s silence and security lockdowns speak for themselves,” said a student union member. “This land deserves a fair hearing. We only want our submissions to be truly considered.” Another student leader argued that after the state government used the excuse of AI-generated Flora and Fauna images, “we submitted satellite images to ensure we won’t be overwhelmed by other such issues.”
As the committee continues consultations, the barricade will remain in place and the use of the website is prohibited until the report is submitted. For many on campus, the day felt like a missed opportunity – but they still hope the evidence submitted would be beneficial.
