Bengaluru: In Bengaluru, hundreds of trees were reportedly cut down to make way for a movie set for the upcoming film Toxic, starring K.G.F. actor Yash. The trees were located on a contested 599-acre forest area in Peenya-Jalahalli, currently managed by the state-owned Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT). Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre, after examining satellite images showing the environmental damage, ordered strict legal action against the officials who allegedly authorised the tree-cutting.
Minister Khandre criticised the officials involved, directing them to take legal steps against those who approved the clearing of the trees. During a recent visit to the site, Khandre observed widespread tree and vegetation removal on the forest land to set up the movie set. He noted that the ongoing dispute between HMT and the forest department had intensified. Officials informed the minister that part of the land had been rented out for film shooting, which involved clearing the trees.
#Yash-starrer #Toxic In TroubleFaces Action For Alleged Tree-cutting For Film Set’Hundreds Of Trees Cut, Rules Violated: #Karnataka Forest Min Khandre Initiates ActionKhandre: HMT Misusing Forestland’HMT Rightful Owner Of Land’: #[email protected]/3tYr4TPEEb
— Mirror Now (@MirrorNow) October 30, 2024
In his letter to the additional chief secretary for forests, environment, and ecology on Tuesday, the minister highlighted that the 599-acre area was officially declared a "reserved forest" by a gazette notification. However, this land had been allocated to HMT without de-notification, and HMT had allegedly sold portions to various government and private agencies for non-forest activities.
Khandre pointed to satellite images showing significant tree loss on the forest land. He noted that HMT was renting out the land for daily film shoots and had even allowed an art set to be built on a portion reportedly sold to Canara Bank for the *Toxic* movie shoot. He expressed concern over the illegal clearance of trees and recalled a Supreme Court ruling that “once a forest, always a forest” unless formally de-notified.
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Under the Forest Act, cutting trees on forest land without permission is a punishable offence, Khandre stressed. He instructed the additional chief secretary to verify the number of trees felled by comparing past and current satellite images from the Karnataka State Remote Sensing Applications Centre (KSRSAC) and to investigate if any permits were granted for tree removal. The minister also ordered disciplinary action against any forest officials who approved the clearing and called for forest offence cases to be filed against all responsible parties.
Khandre’s attempt to reclaim the 599-acre Peenya Plantation, listed as forest land in department records, faced strong opposition from the Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, HD Kumaraswamy, who supported HMT’s ownership claim. Last week, Bengaluru Urban forest officials managed to reclaim five acres from HMT’s control.