Forest Department registers FIR over illegal tree cutting for Toxic shoot

The Karnataka Forest Department has registered an FIR against the producers of the upcoming multilingual film Toxic and other parties involved in the alleged unlawful felling of trees. This follows concerns raised by Karnataka’s Minister for Forest, Ecology, and Environment, Eshwar Khandre, regarding the environmental damage caused during the film’s shoot in the Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) area of Bengaluru. A Geetu Mohandas directorial, Toxic features Rocking Star Yash in the lead.

Minister Khandre had recently taken to social media to highlight satellite images that reportedly show the illegal cutting down of hundreds of trees for the construction of sets for Toxic. After conducting an inspection of the site, Khandre confirmed that the tree felling was unauthorised and called for immediate legal action against those responsible.

The alleged tree-cutting occurred in the Peenya plantation, Survey No. 2, which falls under reserved forest land. The land in question is purportedly owned by Canara Bank. As a result, the Karnataka Forest Department has filed an FIR under Section 24(g) of the Karnataka Forest Act, 1963, which prohibits land clearance or tree felling within forest areas for purposes such as construction or cultivation.

The FIR has been filed against not only KVN Productions, the production company behind Toxic, but also the General Managers of Canara Bank and HMT Limited. Section 24(g) of the Karnataka Forest Act specifically criminalises acts of deforestation and land clearance in reserved forest areas. The violation of this provision could result in substantial legal consequences, including fines and imprisonment.

The Karnataka Forest Act was enacted to preserve forest areas and regulate activities such as tree felling, land clearing, and unauthorised construction within these zones. Any breach of the act is treated seriously, as it directly impacts the state's ecological balance and environmental health.

Minister Khandre has stressed the importance of preserving Karnataka’s forests, stating that it is the collective responsibility of all to protect the environment. "The protection of our forests and environment is a duty that falls on all of us," Khandre remarked. "If illegal activities are found on forest land, I am fully committed to taking strict legal action against those responsible."

Khandre's intervention has drawn attention to the issue, particularly as it involves the unauthorised removal of trees from forested land that should be safeguarded under state laws.

While this legal setback has created challenges for the filmmakers, it is unlikely to affect the scheduled release of Toxic. Directed by Geetu Mohandas, the film, described as a "fairytale for grown-ups," is set for release in 2025. It stars Yash in the lead role and is produced by Venkat K Narayan's KVN Productions and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations.