Name: Roll No

Vonteri Hyndavi Reddy UR20076

Class: MBA (RM)

Assignment Type: Management Decision Case

The Telangana state government has proposed the construction of multi-layered flyovers
around one of the last remaining lung spaces in the city (Kasu Brahmananda Reddy
(KBR) Park in Hyderabad, Telangana). The proposal shrinks the walkway, which is the
Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ). Many junctions are under this project and have to be cleaned
up. The hubs included as part of the Strategic Road Development Plan (SRDP) were
KBR Park entrance, Jubilee Hills check post, Film Nagar junction, Jubilee Hills Road
No. 45, Maharaja Agra sena junction (Banjara Hills Road No. 12), and Hospital junction
(Banjara Hills Road No. 10).

The people of Hyderabad protested in the streets against the decision of the Telangana
government for its announcement to implement the Strategic Road Development Plan
(SRDP) in 2016. But why are the people against a development activity like this? Are
they not happy with the expansion of existing roads? But, why not? This may reduce the
traffic, and there is no fuss while returning home after office. "We are glad that the
protests are going on," say the activists. But why are the activists not happy? Are activists
against development? The answer is NO. No one is against evolution. Everyone wants
Sustainable development. They don't wish to action at the cost of destroying the natural
surroundings. The only city in India, Hyderabad, has been recognized and the Tree City
of the World by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Arbor Day
Foundation. And the state government proposed the development activity by chopping
off the trees.

After this, the activists ran an online petition to "Save KBR Park" for 60 days to raise
objections with the MoEF. In 2016, the residents near KBR Park took to the streets
holding play cards and raising slogans. The protestors drew rangolis using chemical-free
organic colors on the walkway, with the message 'Save KBR.' They have also tied
recyclable paper and jute posters on the trees that are fear to be axed. Ordinary citizens,
activists, walkers in the park, and NGOs participated in the protest. Official documents
say that the State's Forest Department conducted a public hearing, and the officials told
Express it was not conducted. One of the activists- Kaajal Maheswari, questioned: "How
can the Ministry grant approval to the ESZ proposal, initially swithout getting a report on
public hearing from Forest Department?" She also added that initially, it was decided to
conduct a public hearing in February last year, which was not done. Later, they said they
finished the public hearing, but couldn't submit the report due to the COVID-19
pandemic. The info is not being shared with the public. She also said we should renew
our vows and keep the movement alive until the State government revokes the project.

Another environmentalist from Hyderabad- DN Reddy, said that the final notification had
been published; there is no option but to take it legally. Suruchi Singh, the advocate who
fought on this issue earlier in National Green Tribunal, said that the Ministry of
Environment and Forest had asked for a public hearing. She asks, "How can the ministry
claptrap its own order and approve publication of the Eco-Sensitive Zone notification?"

The petition on 'change.org' confirms that this proposal is for a drastic reduction, of
already shrunk Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) and is a step that completely disproves the
objectives and principles of the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ). In 2018 the state government
took the issue to the central government, and they asked to reduce the width of the
walkway, so that comparably fewer trees are cut and prepare a revised proposal. This
revised proposal of a zone ranging from 33 meters to 29.8 meters does not reflect the
actual condition and status of KBR Park. This revised proposal is primarily to help allow
the construction of multi-level flyovers, which would destroy the park's very existence. It
seems that the Government in general and Forest Department in particular, is treating this
as a land bank to release occasionally for commercial exploitation, not as a land of
ecological and environmental importance."

The draft notification seems impervious to the current magnitude of the open area around
KBR National Park, which is just 25 to 35 meters i.e., 0.3% of the suggested ESZ of 10
km. It is appalling that the draft notification, instead of attempting to extend this border
by placing restrictions on human activity, recommends reducing it to near zero. The
Telangana Supreme Court ordered the state government not to cut trees at KBR Park in
Hyderabad. The Government had re-notified the expansion of the environmentally
friendly zone in KBR Park, which would have led to the deforestation of almost 1,300
trees as part of the widening of the highway as part of the Strategic Road Development
Plan (SRDP). The court heard a PIL from environmental activists on Wednesday, August
11, alleging that the Government reduced the green zone without holding a public hearing
on the matter as required.

The issue reached the High Court after the environmental activists has filed a petition. On
April 29 2021, the petition was heard by Chief Justice Hima Kohli and issued notices to
the state government and to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests. The Chief Justice
asked the lawyers to go through the issue carefully and to keep in mind that the park is
the largest lung in the middle of the city. The next hearing has been for few months.
Kaajal Maheshwari, Jasveen Jairath and Sagar Dhara has filed the petition. Counsel of
the petitioners included Ritwick Dutta and Rahul Choudhary. They are the founders of
LIFE (Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment) and have fought more than 500 cases
related to environmental and forest issues. The park has been in the controversy ever
since the Strategic Road Development Plan notification has come out. The development
Plan required more than 1300 trees to be chopped off. This was definitely an unplanned
and unsustainable development by civic authorities. The High court judges said seriously,
"If we allow these parks to shrink indiscriminately, we will all collapse." The judges
made it clear that the state government can play an important role in determining the
degree of environmental sustainability. Not just the development activities like Strategic
Road Development Plan, the forest ecosystem in Telangana is under pressure from
encroachment of forest area, illegal felling of trees for timber, firewood, grazing and
minor forest produce. After the State has formed in 2014, the Chief Minister of the state,
K. Chandra Shekhar Rao launched a visionary flagship program "Harita Haram" to
increase the forest cover from 24% to 33%. This will be only possible only if sustainable
development activities are planned in parallel with Harita Haram.

In an interview, Telangana's forest and environment minister, Allola Indrakaran Reddy

said that there is no threat to the security of KBR National Park situated in the heart of
the city with an area of 1.42 square kms. The Government has notified the Eco-Sensitive
Zone around the national park of India and the Central and State governments will decide
on proceeding with the project. This might ensure that the GHMC walkway garden
around KBR will not be disturbed and will be contiguous. They will take enough
measures to prevent this project from passing through the park or falling in the notified
Eco-Sensitive Zone of KBR.

And finally, the Government decided to abandon the Strategic Road Development Plan
(SRDP) for the time being. Authorities officially stopped work at six intersections around
the national park. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation announced that the
proposal has not yet been approved by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).
Environmentalists and activists said this is a very welcome decision, but it must be
officially confirmed. Over the years, a small forest and the sidewalk within a 10-
kilometer radius have been invaded. The current project is still pending approval and, if
approved, much of the existing walkway will be removed along with the surrounding
area. Let's hope the Greens win in the fight between the state and the people.

References:
Start of online petition, six junctions and Change.org details from
https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/six-flyovers-around-kbr-park-will-destroy-it-
hyd-citizens-start-online-petition-93562

Views of activists (Kaajal M, DN Reddy) and legal options (Suruchi Singh) from
https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/2020/dec/02/activists-to-explore-
legal-options-over-kbr-national-park-esz-issue-2230797.html

Protestors approach towards The Save KBR Citizens’ Movement from

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/taking-a-ny-resolution-to-fight-for-
kbr-park/article33475986.ece

High Court’s Verdict and details of counsel of petitioners from

https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/2021/apr/30/hc-notices-to-tspccf-
over-kbr-park-esz-issue-2296704.html

Telangana’s forest and environment minister, Allola Indrakaran Reddy’s opinion on KBR
issue from https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/there-is-no-threat-to-kbr-
parks-well-being/articleshow/81179953.cms

Widening proposal, hearing by the environmentalists and decision by the HC:

https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/telangana-hc-directs-govt-not-fell-trees-kbr-
park-road-widening-153793

Details of dropping of the Strategic Road Development Plan (SRDP) from:

https://www.cutout.pro/passportPhoto.html