A district court directed four persons to plant 270 saplings in a month and look after them as they were found guilty of cutting 27 trees for smuggling.
Justice Rajendra Kumar Sharma at the Pratapgarh District Court held them guilty on Monday for destroying forest as well as causing harm to environment.
Directing the accused to plant 270 saplings and look after them, Justice Sharma said, "These people had damaged the property of the Environment and Forest Department for criminal purposes".
"The accused would have to submit to the court photographs of planting 270 Indian Gooseberry (amla) plants. The Forest Department team will also inspect these plants and present the report," the court said, adding the accused would have to give information about the sustenance of these plants at in interval of three months each.
The Forest Department had caught them cutting trees on March 20.
--IANS
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