Kannada film 'Toxic' courts controversy over felling of trees in forest land

Bengaluru: Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre on Tuesday directed officials concerned to take disciplinary action against those who permitted felling of trees in a forest land here, where a set was erected for shooting a Kannada movie titled ‘Toxic’.

He also conducted a spot inspection of the site where the shooting of the movie ‘Toxic’, starring actor Yash, was held.

In a note to Additional Chief Secretary of Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment, he said a total of 599 acres of reserve forest in Bengaluru’s Peenya plantation 1 and plantation 2 is gazetted, which was illegally handed over to HMT (Hindustan Machine Tools) in the 1960s without de-notification.

He also quoted the Supreme Court as saying “once a forest is always a forest unless de-notified.” The Minister also noted that the land that is in HMT’s possession without de-notification is a forest.

“HMT illegally sold the forest land in its possession to various government and private organisations and individuals and non-forestry activities take place here. The felling of trees in this forest area is visible from the satellite image,” he said.

Khandre said that it has come to his notice that HMT is also renting out the forest land in its possession for film shootings and vacant land on a daily rent basis.

Noting that unauthorised felling of trees, especially in forest land is a punishable offence, the Minister citing the old and new satellite images of the site obtained from Karnataka State Remote Sensing Applications Centre, sought to know how many tress have been cut and was permission obtained for this as per rules.

He has directed officials to take strict disciplinary action against the officer who gave permission for cutting trees.

“If permission has been granted, disciplinary action should be taken against the officer who gave permission to cut trees in the forest land and forest offences case should be registered against all those responsible for cutting trees,” the letter added.