KTR urges PM Modi to order investigation into 'destruction' of Kancha Gachibowli forest

Rama Rao on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to order an investigation into the alleged destruction of Kancha Gachibowli forest and a Rs 10,000 crore financial scam. In a public appeal shared on 'X', Rama Rao urged PM Modi to demonstrate his environmental commitment by ordering a swift investigation.

KTR, as the BRS leader is popularly known, accused the Congress-led state government under Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, for perpetrating a massive fraud.

The controversy surrounds the devastation of over 400 acres of ecologically critical forest land in Kancha Gachibowli, adjacent to the University of Hyderabad, which KTR described as an "environmental catastrophe" and a "grave financial fraud".

The forest, home to peacocks, deer, and endangered species, is vital for Hyderabad's groundwater levels but was allegedly cleared for an IT park and infrastructure projects, despite protests from students, environmentalists, and a Supreme Court order halting auction activities, he said.

KTR alleged that the Telangana government mortgaged 400 acres of Kancha Gachibowli land lacking legal title to secure a Rs 10,000 crore loan through intermediaries, without environmental clearances or Forest Department approvals. "This isn't just about biodiversity loss; it's a Rs 10,000 crore scam by the Congress government," he stated.

He pointed out that the Supreme Court's Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has confirmed financial irregularities and recommended probes by central agencies, including the CBI, RBI, SEBI, SFIO, and CVC, to which BRS has submitted evidence.

Referring to PM Modi's April 14 remarks in Haryana condemning Telangana's deforestation, KTR questioned if they were "mere lip service".

He urged PM Modi to expedite investigations to prove his environmental resolve and counter allegations of BJP-Congress collusion. "It's time to show Telangana that BJP and Congress aren't colluding and that you truly care about environmental protection," KTR said.

KTR accused CM Reddy of orchestrating the scam and deflecting blame, dismissing the latter's claim that no wildlife exists in Kanche Gachibowli. A Telangana High Court Registrar's report confirmed the presence of diverse fauna, contradicting CM Reddy.

KTR also criticised the mortgaging of a water body within the land as reckless, demanding CM Reddy's accountability.

"Leaders like Revanth Reddy, who shamelessly exploit systems, must be exposed," he said.