Revenue and forest department lock horns over film shooting permission

Chamarajanagar

 A tussle has started between the Revenue and Forest Departments over the recent permission to shoot a Malayalam documentary at Himavad Gopalaswamy Hill, which is within the ecologically sensitive zone.

Himavad Gopalaswamy Temple belongs to the Muzrai Department and the film crew did not take prior permission from the taluk administration, Tahsildar Ramesh Babu has clarified.

According to   department's rules, a request should be submitted for permission to shoot. However, the film crew has not been contacted. The fact that  shooting took place was not even noticed,  he said.

  Environmentalists, locals, farmers' associations and pro-Kannada organizations have expressed strong opposition to the permission given to the film crew's vehicles to go near the temple while public vehicles are not allowed, and a series of protests are taking place across the district.

It is condemnable that permission was given to film in an environmentally sensitive area and vehicles to move around due to pressure and money. Action should be taken against those who gave permission, is also being demanded on social media.

The Kerala film crew had submitted a request to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) on April 8, seeking permission to film. Shivaprakash, Under Secretary of the Forest, Environment and Biology Department, wrote a letter to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Forest Division Chief) to grant permission for filming.

The Under Secretary mentioned in the order that permission should be granted subject to conditions, taking a fixed deposit fee in advance and imposing conditions in view of   protection of forests and wildlife.

The office bearers of the farmers' organization of Gundlupet taluk filed a complaint with Deputy Commissioner Shilpa Nag seeking action against   forest department officials who had allowed filming in the premises of Himavad Gopalaswamy Temple.