KBR Park Petitioners Clarify: No Complaint to CEC, Only Information Request

Petitioners in the Supreme Court case concerning the Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ) of the KBR National Park have issued a statement clarifying that they did not make any complaint regarding tree felling near the park. This clarification comes in the wake of a recent visit by members of the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to the site.

According to the statement, the CEC's visit was prompted by an email communication dated June 15, 2026, sent by the petitioners to several authorities. The email, addressed to the Commissioner of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (HoFF), the District Collector of Hyderabad, and the District Forest Officer of Hyderabad Division, requested information about the felling of one tree within the ESZ. Specifically, the petitioners sought details on the reasons for the felling, the permissions obtained, the agency responsible, and whether any prior inspection had been carried out. The CEC was merely copied on this communication, the statement emphasised.

During an interaction on Sunday, July 26, 2026, CEC member Anjan Mohanty reportedly acknowledged this fact, according to the petitioners. The petitioners further noted that the programme schedule of the CEC was circulated to senior officials, including the Chief Secretary, the PCCF, the District Magistrate, the Divisional Forest Officer, and the Field Director of KBR National Park. However, the petitioners were not included in the distribution list and received no prior notice of the programme.

The petitioners stated that they received an invitation for a meeting on Sunday with only overnight notice, and no agenda—formal or informal—was provided. Contrary to some news reports, no meeting was scheduled for Monday, July 27, 2026, they clarified.

Owing to the short notice and lack of formal procedure, only one of the three petitioners was able to attend the meeting, which took place in the presence of GHMC and Forest Department officials. During the meeting, the petitioner was expressly informed that issues arising from the special leave petition were excluded from the scope of discussions. The deliberations were confined solely to the single tree that had been felled in the ESZ.

The petitioners reiterated their commitment to transparency and adherence to legal procedures in the matter concerning the KBR National Park's Eco Sensitive Zone.