'Ridiculous': Rupali Ganguly Slams Kancha Gachibowli Deforestation In Hyderabad, Questions Silence Of Celebs Who Fought For Mumbai's Aarey

Actress Rupali Ganguly, best known for her lead role in the television show Anupamaa, has taken a stand against the ongoing deforestation in the Kancha Gachibowli forest area of Hyderabad. In a social media post on Friday (April 4), Rupali voiced her support for students and activists protesting the clearing of the 400-acre green patch to make way for an IT park.

For those unversed, the Telangana government, which secured legal ownership of the 400-acre land in May 2024 after a two-decade-long legal battle, intends to auction the land to raise at least Rs 10,000 crore. The plan also includes the development of IT parks and enhancement of urban connectivity in Hyderabad's IT corridor.

"The cries of birds and peacocks in the Hyderabad forest and the visuals of the bulldozers keep playing in my mind," she wrote on her official X account.

Applauding the efforts of students, the actress said, "God bless the protesting students and the alumni for fighting for the voiceless. It is a relief that the Supreme Court has halted the clearing of the Hyderabad forest. I hope this becomes permanent and deforestation stops."

Rupali questioned the rationale behind sacrificing urban forest cover for infrastructure development, calling the move 'ridiculous' and slamming the alleged involvement of land mafias. "Destroying a forest for an IT Park? Ridiculous how land mafia is catered to," she stated.

Rupali Ganguly recalls Save Aarey movement

Drawing comparisons to Mumbai's Save Aarey movement, which gained widespread attention and celebrity support in 2019, Rupali pointed out the silence surrounding Kancha Gachibowli. "I wonder where are all the celebrities and activists who protested for weeks during the Save Aarey campaign? It was highlighted nationally and internationally… We need you all again to raise your voice for Kancha Gachibowli," she urged her fans and followers.

"Both the forests r our lungs Aarey 81 acres and Hyderabad is 400 acres. When Mother nature doesn’t discriminate why r we? Let’s come together and be the voice for the voiceless (sic)," she further wrote.

Supreme Court's intervention

The Supreme Court on Thursday sought an explanation from the Telangana government regarding the "compelling urgency" behind the clearance of a large tree cover in the Kancha Gachibowli area, adjacent to the University of Hyderabad (UoH) campus. It also ordered an immediate stay on all related activities, including deforestation, until further notice.

The court's intervention came as a major relief to hundreds of students who have been protesting the deforestation drive since the last few days. The drive, which began on Sunday with police support, triggered violent protests on the UoH campus. Following the SC's interim order, students ended their relay hunger strike on Thursday.

The standoff between the students and the State Congress government began early last month after news broke that the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) had received approval to develop and auction the biodiverse land parcel.

Earlier, celebrities like Richa Chadha, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Prakash Raj and Dia Mirza also called for saving the forest land in Hyderabad.

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