What is ¡®forest land¡¯ controversy involving Yash¡¯s Toxic? All about Karnataka Forest Department Vs HMT fiasco

The long-run tiff between Centre and Karnataka Forest Department has now seen the indirect involvement of Kannada film star Naveen Kumar Gowda popularly known by his stage name Yash. It has been alleged that during the shooting of his upcoming film Toxic, hundreds of trees were axed down to make the set on a land supposed to be a reserved forest. However, this coin also has two sides.

A detailed look into forest land controversy unfolding in Karnataka

In an October 29 letter to the Additional Chief Secretary, Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre addressed concerns over 599 acres of forest land that¡¯s now in the name of Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT). He alleged that the space was originally declared as a reserved forest in a gazette notification but it was handed over to HMT without any formal denotification.

Khandre further cited the Supreme Court¡¯s earlier stance noting ¡°once a forest, always a forest unless denotified¡± and said that the area now used for private engagements continues to technically remain a forest. Well, his attempt to reclaim the land invited opposition from H D Kumaraswamy, Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel who said that the HMT now legally owns the property.

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Khandre¡¯s letter very clearly alleged that HMT has been renting the disputed land for commercial purposes including the recent filming of Yash¡¯s Toxic. He requested a satellite image comparison to assess the extent of deforestation and a verification of the fact that were any permissions granted. He noted that in case trees were cut without clearance, relevant charges must be filed for forest law violations.

It was just last Friday (October 25) when the Forest Department started the process of regaining possession of five acres from the 599 acres of land in the Peenya plantation survey numbers 1 and 2. That area was clearly designated as a reserved forest in May 1896 and 1901 but the Forest Department alleged that the property was never denotified as non-forest though HMT has infamously claimed the ownership to sell out the 165 acres of land to the government and private players.

The state government has now promised that it would take all measures to recover the land and turn it into a Cubbon Park-like green space in northern Bengaluru.

Yash¡¯s Toxic is written and directed by Geetu Mohandas. The mass-actioner will reportedly also star Darrell D'Silva, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, Nayanthara, Akshay Oberoi, Kyle Paul, and Benedict Garrett among others. With several details kept under the wrap, Toxic is expected to hit theatres around April 2025.

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