The Hindu Business Line : HUDA in `green' battle with Army

THE Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has sought urgent State Government intervention to resolve amicably the on-going row with Defence authorities in Andhra sub-area of Bowenpally in Secunderabad over felling of well-grown trees for a defence housing project. The area is spread out in some 1,500 acres.

The trees have been planted by the Urban Forestry Department of HUDA under the Netherlands Government-assisted Hyderabad Green Environment Programme (HGEP) since 1997 in Bowenpally defence land with active support and cooperation of the defence authorities themselves.

Talking to Business Line, Mr Ramana Reddy, Director (Urban Forestry), HUDA, said the army authorities have already felled nearly 3,000 trees in the area despite requests from HUDA to utilise available vacant land adjacent to the tree plantation area. Describing the area as a city forest, as it was just a km away from human habitation (the main lung space for Secunderabad residents), Mr Reddy felt the army should not find it difficult to explore other open lands in the area (some 700 acres still available) for the project. Such felling of full grown trees could seriously endanger the environment programme for a green Hyderabad, he pointed out.

Mr Reddy said HUDA has exhausted all possible approaches to seek the cooperation of the army authorities in preventing felling of such trees, and that it was now up to the State Government to initiate a dialogue with the Central Command headquarters.

The State government has already urged Brigadier U.V. Deshmukh, Sub Area Commander, to intervene personally and instruct the lower functionaries to judiciously execute the construction project without causing damage to the trees and environment.

The basic problem seems to be over the powers of the "Andhra Pradesh Water, Land and Trees Act 2002", already in force. Under Section 29 (1) of the said Act, any person, institution, organisation or department, public or private, providing a public or private utility service... shall ensure protection of trees and their branches while developing their infrastructure or carrying on their activities.

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