Hyderabad: A research report has highlighted the alarming impact on the surrounding areas, biodiversity, flora, and fauna if the Telangana government proceeds with clearing the 400-acre Kancha Gachibowli forest within the University of Hyderabad.
According to the Ecological Heritage report Kancha Gachibowli forest prepared by a researcher, Arun Vasireddy, if the inevitable takes place, temperature will rise from 1 to 4 degrees centigrade throughout Gachibowli and surrounding areas.
The report states that currently, Kancha Gachibowli forest is home to 233 bird species, which is double the number when compared to KBR National Park’s diversity (150).
“Unlike most national parks and reserve forests, the animals are self-sustaining without any intervention. It costs nothing to maintain this green space but costs thousands of crores to create even the smallest version of it,” the report read.
University of Hyderabad land row: Why the 400 acres may not get saved
“The forest I home to grassland birds like the Indian Hoopoes, Oriental Skylarks, butterflies like the Grass Yellows and Darts. It is also the last home for the Indian Roller (Telangana’s State Bird) within Hyderabad. Along with bird species, the forest also contains Murricia hyderabadensis, a unique spider discovered in 2010 and found nowhere in the world,” the report stated.
Preserving Kancha Gachibowli forest is crucial for maintaining the lake and hillock ecosystem that supports Hyderabad.
In terms of tree diversity, the forest hosts over 72 species and is the only forest that shelters the Marking Nut (Semecarpus anacardium), locally known as Chaakali Jeedi or Washerman’s Nut. “This tree has been an essential resource for the washermen community for decades. Their destruction would not only harm biodiversity but also erase a significant part of the region’s history and culture,” the report added.
