CUTTACK: In the past five days, the Orissa High Court has granted bail to some persons on condition that they must plant 50 saplings and maintain them for two years. In one case, the petitioner has been directed to plant 100 saplings.
The single judge bench of Justice SK Panigrahi has set this uncommon condition in six different cases while admitting criminal revision petitions challenging the trial court orders of conviction and sentences of simple imprisonment up to two years.
Justice Panigrahi in all the six cases directed the trial courts in Kendrapara, Puri, Rajgangpur, Baliguda and Sonepur to release the petitioners on bail on such terms and conditions as deemed just and proper by them.
But including further identical conditions, Justice Panigrahi said, “The petitioner after the onset of monsoon, shall plant 50 saplings of local variety like mango, neem, tamarind etc. around his village over the government land/community land/private land, if it (private land) is in the possession of the petitioner or his family members.”
Warning that the violation of the condition will entail cancellation of bail, Justice Panigrahi directed the inspecter-in-charge of the police station concerned and the local forest officer to monitor if the petitioner has complied by planting the exact number of saplings or not.
Justice Panigrahi further directed the petitioners to file affidavits in the local police station after plantation of the saplings assuring that he shall maintain those plants for two years.