Citizens knock on NGT’s door to save Chevella banyans

Hyderabad: In an attempt to save over 9000 trees which include over 1000 majestic banyans, a collective of citizens knocked on the doors of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to stop the proposed road widening project on NH163.

A petition has been filed by the “Save Banyans of Chevella Group”, urging the NGT to either stop the project or ask the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to obtain environmental clearance after conducting a thorough Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

Three tree lovers, on behalf of the 'Nature Lovers of Hyderabad', have filed a petition with the NGT requesting them to direct that the road should not be widened or alternately, to obtain an environmental clearance after conducting a thorough environmental impact assessment.
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— Save Banyans of Chevella (@chevellabanyans) December 22, 2021

“NGT was pleased to admit the application and NHAI informed the court that they have no plans to fell the trees as of now and that they are only enumerating the trees,” the group said in an additional tweet.

Save the Chevella Banyans group has been relentless in its fight with the authorities both online and on-ground in protesting against the proposed project that they say would lead to the felling of a large number of trees.

“The project could also endangers the last-remaining scrub forests of Mudimyal and Kandlapally–home to many grassland specialists, including the migrating Harriers and the rare Tawny Eagles (listed as ‘vulnerable’ in the IUCN Red List)” the group had said.