In a time when India is facing its worst climate uncertainties — from unbearable heatwaves in Delhi to unseasonal rains in Kerala — a decision was taken that cuts deeper than just trees.
400 acres of lush forest in Hyderabad, teeming with life — over 200 species of birds and animals, 400 species of native plants, a living, breathing ecosystem — is being cleared. Not for food. Not for survival. But for more IT parks and real estate.
Yes, you read that right. Forest, the original wealth of our land, has been labeled “unused land,” and sold off in exchange for a few thousand crores. And the biggest tragedy? This act was allowed. Signed. Approved. Bulldozed. Without proper protest, without public involvement, and without valuing what we’ve truly lost.
📜 How Was This Allowed?
The land in question is under the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC), and the decision was taken with the backing of the state government — under the banner of “development and economic growth.”
A 400-acre forest area, known for its biodiversity and eco-balance, was declared “wasteland” in government records. Just because it didn’t have buildings on it. This loophole, where forests not declared as “reserved” under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, can be reclassified for infrastructure, is how this was made possible.
😞 Who Was Behind It?
This isn’t just about pointing fingers at one politician or one party. The system, backed by business lobbies, private real estate developers, and a flawed metric of development — GDP — is behind it.
Because GDP celebrates cutting down a forest and building a mall over it. It celebrates jobs and construction, but not what was lost in the process — not the soil health, not the air purification, not the water table recharge, and certainly not the life that once lived there.
📉 But Why Now, When the Climate Crisis Is Real?
This incident comes at the worst possible time.
- India recorded over 650 heatwave incidents in 2024 alone.
- Hyderabad’s average summer temperature has already increased by 2°C in the last decade.
- India is the 7th most climate-vulnerable country, according to the Global Climate Risk Index 2023.
- Forests act as carbon sinks, absorbing up to 30% of global CO₂ emissions annually.
Cutting this forest means losing around 3.5 lakh tons of carbon sink capacity, and making 400 acres vulnerable to flooding, heat islands, and drought.
📉 What Could Have Been Done Instead?
- Urban Forest Declaration: The forest could have been declared as an urban ecological heritage zone.
- Eco-Tourism or Nature Reserve: The area could have generated income and protected biodiversity.
- Carbon Credits: Forest preservation could’ve earned Telangana millions in carbon credits under global green initiatives.
- Green IT Parks: If IT parks had to be built, they could have been planned in barren or already cleared zones, with vertical green campuses and restored landscapes.
📢 Why Was There No Proper Protest?
Sadly, there was protest, but not enough media attention. Environmentalists and local citizens raised alarms, but unlike mining scams or large-scale deforestation like in Amazon, India lacks a strong citizen-led environmental watchdog culture. Social media tried, but it was drowned in news about elections and IPL.
🔥 What We Are Really Losing?
- Over 10,000 mature trees, some decades old.
- Natural home for rare species like the Indian pangolin, grey hornbill, and rock python.
- Water table recharge capacity for nearly 8,000 surrounding households.
- Natural flood prevention buffer — which will now turn into concrete heat traps.
- A carbon sink equivalent to removing 7,500 cars off the road per year.
🧠 But There’s Hope – A New Way to Count What Matters
Last month, during the UN Statistical Commission Session, India and other countries endorsed a shift from GDP to NDP (Net Domestic Product).
👉 NDP = GDP – Depreciation — including natural resource depletion.
This means the loss of a forest will no longer look like progress on paper. It will be treated as a loss to the nation’s actual wealth. This is a step in the right direction — but only if it’s implemented properly.
🙏 What Can Be Done Now?
- Immediate halt to further deforestation in the area.
- Independent ecological audit of the damage done.
- Citizen PILs to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) demanding restoration and action.
- Transparent public review of any forest land conversion over 10 acres.
- Mandatory climate impact assessment before all state-level infrastructure projects.
- Incentives for vertical development and rewilding projects in cities.
🌍 What Should We Learn from This?
Progress isn’t about more concrete. It’s about balance. What remains is as important as what is built.
When we cut down forests for buildings, we don’t just lose trees — we lose time, climate stability, clean air, drinking water, and the future of our children. And we cannot buy that back, no matter how much we earn.
🛑 Final Thought:
If the forest standing was worth ₹15,000 crore in clean air, biodiversity, flood control, and carbon sink value — would we still cut it for ₹3,000 crore in land sale?
It’s time we asked ourselves: is this really development? Or is this a very expensive mistake we’ll regret forever?
Let this be the last forest we ever destroy for money.
For once, let’s choose life over short-term revenue.
Because the real economy… is the Earth. 🌿