The Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) issued a showcause notice to Karan Johar's Dharma Productions on 25 October. The notice was served following complaints that after wrapping shoot for a film earlier this month, waste generated by his film crew, including personal protective equipment (PPE), was dumped in the Goan village of Nerul, as per a report by Goa Chronicle.
The incident came to light after residents of Nerul, furious over the foul-smelling garbage and other unsegregated waste dumped by the production house, complained to the Panchayat and even circulated photos and videos on social media.
In the clips and photos that went viral, heaps of biomedical waste including PPE kits, masks, sanitary napkins etc, as well as unsegregated garbage and tons of plastic waste, including cutlery, were seen dumped in the area.
The report further states that the ESG took notice of the matter after Lokhancho Ekvott Goa, a movement to save the villages and heritage locations of Goa, complained how a shoot by Dharma Productions, helmed by Shakun Batra and starring Deepika Padukone among others, left garbage around the Nerul area after they packed up.
The ESG said that as per the guidelines laid down by the Directorate of Health Services, all medical gears used for COVID-19 protection must be disposed of using incinerators. However, in this case, it was dumped by the roadside.
Criticising the 'irresponsible act' of the production house, Lokancho Ekvott Goa has demanded a written apology from Karan Johar. They have also reportedly said that if Dharma Productions fails to apologise within 48 hours, the Lokhancho Ekvott would courier parcels of garbage to Karan Johar’s house and the Dharma Productions' office in Mumbai.
The Quint has reached out to Dharma Productions and is awaiting a response.
(With inputs from Goa Chronicle)
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