Tree felling at KPBH: Telangana HC issues notice to Principal Secretary, Forests, PCCF

Hyderabad: Telangana High Court has issued notice Principal Secretary, Forest, Environment & Science and Technology, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, and others over the felling of green trees.

A division bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti issued notice to the Principal Secretary, Forest, Environment & Science and Technology, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Commissioner GHMC, Commissioner, Manikonda Municipality and the Sarpanch, Manikonda. the court asked them to explain the reasons for not protecting the 100 fully green trees from felling, despite efforts made by the petitioner to translocate them free of cost.

The trees were marked to be cut to make way for the construction of a Flyover in Kukatpally Housing Board (KPBH).

The PIL was filed by VATA Foundation represented by its founder Uday Krishna Peddireddy. He was aggrieved by the inaction of the Commissioner GHMC and the Commissioner, Manikonda Municipality in protecting 100 fully grown trees, which were marked to be `CUT’ to make way for the construction of a flyover between the Jawaharlal Technological University (JNTU) and Kukatpally Housing Board (KPBH).

The petitioner sought permission from the GHMC to translocate the trees free of cost. Though it translocated 70 fully grown trees beside the Manikonda Graveyard and Cricket Ground, 40 were axed without obtaining the necessary permission from the concerned authorities to make way for a cricket ground.

The entire endeavor of the petitioner went futile in protecting 70 trees out of the 100 fully grown trees.

The trees were cut by the GHMC and the Manikonda Municipality officials without obtaining permission from the concerned authorities contrary to the provisions of the Telangana Forest Act, 1967, and Telangana (Protection of Trees and Timber in Public Premises) Rules 1989.

The case has been adjourned for four weeks