Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy accuses Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre of trespassing on HMT land in Bengaluru
The Hindu
Karnataka Forest & Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre had visited HMT land at Peenya-Jalahalli on October 29 and alleged that hundreds of trees had been illegally axed during the filming of the Yash-starrer Toxic.
Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H. D. Kumaraswamy accused Karnataka Forest & Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre of ‘trespassing’ land belonging to Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) in Bengaluru.
Speaking to reporters in Channapatna on October 30, the Union Minister accused Mr. Khandre of trespassing HMT land after the latter visited the premises in Peenya-Jalahalli on October 29 and alleged that hundreds of trees had been illegally axed during the filming of the Yash-starrer Toxic.
“It has been observed that HMT is also renting out forest land under its control for film shoots and leasing vacant spaces. Recently, in the forest land reportedly sold to Canara Bank by HMT, a massive set had been erected for the film Toxic, and shooting was going on for several months. Hundreds of trees and plants have been cut to erect the film set. Cutting trees in forest land without legal permission is a punishable offence,” Mr. Khander had said on October 29.
Reacting to this, Mr. Kumaraswamy said, “This land was given by HMT to Canara Bank in 2002. The Minister has trespassed on land belonging to HMT. We will fight this issue legally.”
The Union Minister and Mr. Khandre have been at loggerheads over the past few months over the 599-acre HMT land.
Mr. Khandre has been stating that the government of Karnataka will move to reclaim HMT land as it was forest land that was ‘illegally transferred’ to HMT in the 1960s. Mr. Kumaraswamy has accused the State Government of doing ‘politics of vendetta’ after he announced a plan to revive HMT.
The Forest Department of Karnataka has already taken possession of five acres of vacant land in Peenya-Jalahalli belonging to HMT.
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