Underscoring that every organisation has a commitment to nature, the High Court on Thursday ordered the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) to plant 10 saplings for every tree chopped to lay an electric line.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice K Vinod Chandran passed the order on a petition filed by K S Rajesh Kumar of Nilambur challenging the KSEB decision to axe 200 trees for laying 33 KV line between Perumpilavu and Nilambur road by shifting an existing line.
The petitioner submitted that the cutting down of trees would affect the environment adversely and cause a loss to the public.
The KSEB action was meant to help just a few individuals, he said.
However, the KSEB submitted that only 26 trees will be cut for facilitating the laying of the line and the allegation of the petitioner was not true. It said it was ready to plant 260 saplings to compensate for the 26 chopped trees. Accepting the offer, the court said the planting of the saplings should be done under the supervision of social forestry officials.