Hyderabad: Union coal minister G Kishan Reddy on Thursday urged Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to stop the auction of 400 acres in Gachibowli in the name of mobilizing the state’s financial resources.
Kishan Reddy said in a letter to the Chief Minister that the Telangana government has decided to conduct 400 acres of government land in the village of Kancha Gachibowli in the Rangareddy area through the Telangana State Industrial Industrial Infrrstructure Corporation (TGIIC) through the Telangana State Industrial Industrial Indratructure Corporation (TGIIC).
“In the past, when you (Revanth Reddy) was the president of the PCC you opposed the sale of government land, remember the future generations and the public interest. You said that if we died of death, government land should not be sold to sell for our survival or there would be no construction land for government hospitals, schools, or even graves,” Kishan Reddy recalled.
“I would like to remind you of your previous words that adjacent to this 400 acres of government land which the State government has decided to auction, there are many flora, fauna and lakes that are a source of biodiversity. It contains 734 plant species and 220 bird species including peacocks, migratory birds, spotted deer, four-horned deer, wild boars, mountain lions, and Indian star tortoises,” he said.
Although 400 acres of government land do not belong to the forest sector, it is surrounded by trees and a variety of life species and becomes an oxygen source for the city. Kishan Reddy said: “If such land is full of concrete structures, the water resources on the land may be reduced, causing damage to the species involved and posing a major threat to the environment and cities.
According to him, the Indian Star Turtle and its habitat on the land are under threat. These turtles are Schedule IV to the Wildlife Conservation Act, under Schedule IV of 1972. The habitat of the species concerned should also be protected according to this Act and the protection of relevant species. Since 2016, these star tortoises have been included in the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) list of vulnerabilities.
This suggests that they are an endangered species. In addition, since 2019, these turtles have also been included in the Appendix to the Convention on International Trade to Endangered Wild Fauna and Flora and Fauna. This means the government should also consider declaring 400 acres and 800 acres as national parks.
Jubilee Mountain, Bangalore and high-tech cities that once resembled the forests and hills of the city, became like concrete jungle due to urbanization and lost their natural appearance. They are filled with concrete structures throughout the area without leaving a tree or hill in these areas.
“It seems not enough, and in the name of financial resources, the land that has now become part of ecological diversity is unacceptable to anyone, including local people, students studying at the Central University of Hyderabad next to the land, and environmental enthusiasts.”
Greening in Hyderabad is already decreasing and vacant land is disappearing for many reasons. The city’s playgrounds, walking trails, parks and ecological spaces are being alienated. “It is our responsibility to all of us to protect these places for future generations. Therefore, I ask you to abide by your past views on the sale of government land to protect the environment and biodiversity, including natural damage, and to immediately stop the auction process of these 400 acres of government land.”
