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The Supreme Court on Monday put a stay on felling of trees in the eco-sensitive zone surrounding the Kasu Brahmananda Reddy (KBR) National Park in Hyderabad.
A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan passed the interim direction and ordered that there should be no tree felling within 25 to 35 metres Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around the part. The apex court also issued notice on a plea challenging the move to cut trees for road development. The top court passed the interim direction while hearing a petition filed by Kaajal Maheshwari, who challenged the Telangana High Court's refusal to grant interim relief. The petitioner has challenged the decision to reduce the ESZ around KBR National Park to a width varying between 3 metres and 29.8 metres, arguing that such a limited buffer undermines the very purpose of an ESZ, which is meant to function as a "shock absorber" for protected areas. The plea stated that KBR National Park, notified under Section 35 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, is an ecologically sensitive urban forest and a major green lung of Hyderabad. It further contends that the originally proposed ESZ of 25 to 35 metres was substantially curtailed to facilitate infrastructure projects, especially the Strategic Road Development Plan (SRDP). The petitioner has challenged the Telangana High Court's interim order of March 31, 2026, contending that the High Court was informed that unregulated construction activity was continuing in and around the KBR National Park and the urgent need for intervention to avert irreversible ecological damage. The High Court, however, instead of granting interim relief, adjourned the matter to May 5, directing the petitioners to conduct research on activities that are permissible, regulated, or restricted in the eco-sensitive zone. (ANI)
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