Hyderabad: BJP MPs from Telangana have urged Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to intervene and prevent the auction of 400 acres of land in Kancha Gachibowli, near the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) campus.
Table of Contents
BJP Delegation Meets Dharmendra Pradhan
A delegation led by Union Minister for Mines and Telangana BJP President G. Kishan Reddy met Pradhan in New Delhi on Tuesday and submitted a memorandum. The team included:
Also Read: BJD Celebrates Odisha Day at Sankha Bhavan
- Bandi Sanjay Kumar (Union Minister of State for Home)
- Arvind Dharampuri (BJP MP)
- Eatala Rajender (BJP MP)
- K. Vishweshwar Reddy (BJP MP)
- G. Nagesh (BJP MP)
Telangana Government’s Plan to Auction Ecologically Rich Land
The BJP MPs claim the Telangana government is planning to auction this land, which is home to unique rock formations, rich biodiversity, and vital green cover. They argue that the land is not just a real estate asset but serves as a carbon sink and supports:
- 734 species of plants
- 220 species of birds
- Vulnerable species like the Indian star tortoise
- Two lakes – Peacock Lake and Buffalo Lake – which sustain local biodiversity
- The Mushroom Rock formation, a significant geological heritage site
Protests Against Land Auction Gain Momentum
The MPs informed Dharmendra Pradhan that the Hyderabad University community – including students, faculty, and local residents – is strongly opposed to the land auction.
On March 10, a large-scale protest was held at the Mushroom Rock, and a petition demanding the cancellation of the auction has already received over 22,000 signatures.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Not Conducted?
The BJP MPs raised concerns that the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) plans to develop and monetize this land without conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
They questioned whether the state government had explored any alternative development strategies that would balance urbanization with conservation.
BJP’s Demands to the Union Government
The BJP MPs requested the Union Education Minister to:
- Immediately explore options to halt the land auction
- Set up a review committee to assess the ecological significance of the land
- Develop sustainable alternatives that do not compromise environmental balance
Bandi Sanjay Accuses Congress Government of Looting Public Land
BJP leader Bandi Sanjay Kumar alleged that the Congress government is trying to grab Hyderabad’s environmental treasure for a real estate scam worth thousands of crores.
He stated that HCU students and Hyderabad citizens are already protesting against the land auction, but the state government continues to ignore public outrage.