Corporation looks for a ‘role’ in film shooting

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Film shooting is going on in full throttle in the city with more than 25 films being shot in and around the place.

Although the corporation levies only a nominal fee for using its property for shooting, it has no mechanism to check whet-her the film units comply with its norms.

“Though the corporation’s permission is required to use its property for shooting, most film-makers seldom comply with the norms.

Moreover, the corporation lacks a proper monitoring system to see whether any damage is being caused to its property.

Film-makers should be made accountable for their actions and they should be made to pay compensation for the damage done”, admitted a source at the civic body.

Earlier, there was a proposal to hike the fees for using the corporation’s properties for film and serial shooting.

However, with next to nothing being done by the corporation, it’s a drain on the civic body which is struggling for funds.

Meanwhile, mayor Tony Chammany said there would be a strict monitoring mec-hanism to check whether any property of the corporation was being used illegally for film shooting.

“As film shooting has been thriving in the city during the last few years, a hike in the fees for using the corporation’s properties would help in boosting the revenue. It can be a good source of revenue”, he said.

West Kochi has become a favourite destination for film-makers and the corporation-owned places in Fort Kochi and Mattancherry are being widely used for shooting.

According to Antony Kur-eethara, Fort Kochi division councillor, films were being shot without prior permission of the corporation and film units were also causing damage to properties owned by the civic body.