Officials facing SC's ire due to Telangana CM's misdeeds: KTR

Hyderabad, May 15 (IANS) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K. T. Rama Rao said on Thursday that Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s misdeeds led the state government officials to face the Supreme Court’s stern warning over the issue of Kancha Gachibowli land in Hyderabad.

In his reaction to the Supreme Court’s observations during the hearing of the matter, the former minister demanded that Kancha Gachibowli’s forests must be protected. He demanded that the Chief Minister take responsibility for the whole ‘mess’.

“Your misdeeds have led Telangana government officials under your command to face the Honourable Supreme Court’s stern warning, with the looming threat of going to jail. Attempts to evade accountability will not succeed—justice demands answers. The immediate restoration of Kancha Gachibowli’s forests is non-negotiable, or be prepared for legal repercussions,” the BRS leader told the Chief Minister through a social media post.

“The Rs 10,000 crore scam to sell HCU land is a blatant act of corruption and betrayal. Deploying bulldozers on weekends to circumvent oversight and destroy green cover is a clear violation of environmental laws,” said the BRS MLA.

“These reckless actions jeopardise our ecosystem and undermine the rule of law. Kancha Gachibowli’s forests must be protected, and it is high time you take responsibility for the whole mess,” he added.

The Supreme Court on Thursday resumed hearing on the matter related to deforestation of Kancha Gachibowli land near Hyderabad Central University.

The bench of Justice B. R. Gavai and Justice A. G. Masih on April 16 had extended the stay on tree cutting in 400 acres of land for a month and directed the Wildlife Warden of Telangana to take steps to protect wildlife affected by deforestation in 100 acres.

Abhishekh Manu Singhvi, appearing for the Telangana government, sought more time to study the report of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), which had visited the spot and submitted the report to the apex court last month.

Singhvi told the bench that he received the CEC report at 5 p.m. on Wednesday (May 14) and that he needed more time to examine the same.

Chief Justice of India Justice Masih observed that deforestation, prima facie, seemed pre-planned. He said that if he wants the chief secretary and half a dozen officers to shift to a temporary prison, they will do that.

The bench once again asked if the authorities had environmental clearance to cut trees and reiterated that the forest should be restored.

--IANS

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