Yash Starrer Toxic Shoot Lands In Controversy Over Illegal Felling Of Trees For Set Construction

Toxic Controversy: Yash starrer Toxic, directed by Geetu Mohandas, has been filming at a brisk pace. However, the makers have found themselves at the center of a controversy over the illegal felling of trees during filming. The movie is reportedly co-starring Nayanthara, Tara Sutaria and Kiara Advani alongside the KGF star.

Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre on Tuesday directed officials concerned to take disciplinary action against those who permitted the felling of trees in a forest land in Bengaluru, where a set was erected for the shooting of Kannada movie Toxic. He also conducted a spot inspection of the site where the shooting was held.

Forest official inspects Yash starrer Toxic shoot location

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 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.

Disciplinary action sought against official who granted permission for Toxic shoot  

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.

(With PTI inputs)