Supreme Court Halts Tree Felling in KBR National Park's Eco-Sensitive Zone

The Supreme Court has intervened to halt tree-cutting in the eco-sensitive zone of Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park in Hyderabad. The decision came after activist Kaajal Maheshwari filed a plea against reducing the park's buffer zone, which could hinder its function as a 'shock absorber' for the protected area.

The Supreme Court took a significant step on Monday by restraining authorities from cutting trees within the eco-sensitive zone surrounding Hyderabad's Kasu Brahmananda Reddy (KBR) National Park. The bench, comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan, emphasized the necessity to preserve the 25-35 metre buffer around the park.

This move followed a plea by activist Kaajal Maheshwari, who challenged a Telangana High Court order denying interim relief to halt the tree felling. Maheshwari’s plea argued that the narrow buffer zone, being reduced to as little as 3 metres, would undermine its protective role.

The issue arose as the Telangana government, under the Strategic Road Development Plan, intended to build multi-level flyovers that required cutting down over 1,300 trees. This would necessitate altering the park's eco-sensitive zone, reducing the walkway from its current 25-35 metres.