Hyderabad: Students from the University of Hyderabad (UoH) are protesting against the auction of Kancha Gachibowli lands. They say the land is important for the environment and should not be sold. To support their cause, students have started a campaign on social media called ‘SaveHCUBiodiversity’.
Many people, including celebrities and local residents, are backing the students. They are encouraging others to add #SaveHCUBioDiversity to their social media profiles to raise awareness. A signature campaign has also been launched and has already collected over 97,000 signatures. The petition asks the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) to cancel the auction.
Protesters argue that the land is a natural forest and helps keep the city’s climate balanced. They warn that selling it for commercial use could lead to hotter temperatures, more air pollution, less rainwater absorption, and more animals entering city areas after losing their habitat.
Social activist Vinay Vangala believes the area should be made a protected ecological zone. He said many groups are working together to save the forest and are using social media to spread the message.
Bollywood actress Dia Mirza also voiced her support on social media. She said that forests are more important to the future than IT parks and warned that destroying biodiversity for development is harmful. She urged people to save the Kancha Forest in Gachibowli.
Tollywood actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu also joined in. She shared a news report on Instagram that explained the damage that could happen if the land is cleared.
