Hyderabad's Gachibowli Forest

Urban forests in Hyderabad’s Gachibowli, home to the IUCN Vulnerable Indian Star Tortoise among other biodiversity, and of course, to Hyderabad’s ancient rock formations, are the real estate industry’s latest victims. Despite stiff opposition from citizens, the area, a prime spot for IT parks, has been up for auction, and as you read this cartoon today, the government of Telangana has already bulldozed the forest and detained student protesters overnight.

Cartoon for The Hindu Sunday Magazine.

Real estate is not ony decimating Hyderabad’s biodiversity and its unique rocky scrubs, but is also making the city increasingly flood prone. Here’s an urban biodiversity map of the city that I illustrated for ICLEI in 2023.