Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed petitioners in at least five bail cases to plant native trees in the upcoming monsoon season.
The High Court has ordered that each petitioner has to plant 10 saplings of native species in a public place within 15 days and submit photographic evidence of the plantation to the police station where their FIR is registered.
The bench said that in case of non-submission of such evidence or providing incorrect information, the state will have the right to file a petition seeking cancellation of bail. A vacation bench headed by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu passed these orders while hearing bail cases involving accused from various districts of Punjab.
The petitioners face charges ranging from assault, criminal intimidation, forgery, bribery to fraud. Apart from this eco-friendly condition, the court also imposed standard bail conditions, under which the petitioners have to submit personal bonds, cooperate in the ongoing investigation by appearing when summoned and refrain from influencing witnesses.
The court said that in case of non-compliance, such as not joining the investigation, the bail can be cancelled on the request of the state. An advocate representing one of the petitioners said that the Chief Justice has issued similar orders in previous cases.
He said that these decisions may have gone unnoticed earlier, but it seems that the court is using bail conditions to promote environmental awareness.
