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EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
MUMBAI, DEC 8: Actor Salman Khan's father and renowned scriptwriter Salim Khan today submitted a three-point environmental protection plan to the Bombay High Court. While granting Khan anticipatory bail following recovery of protected animals like peahen, black buck and spotted deer from his Panvel farm house in October, the court had asked him to put his writing skills to use to draft a environmental protection plan.
Justice F I Rebello, with whom Khan submitted the report today, said if the forest officials still wanted to prosecute Khan, they could go ahead. ``However, the magistrate trying Khan should keep in mind that the high court has accepted the scheme.''
As per Khan's scheme, he will plant 500 trees in the forests of Panvel, where his farm house is located. He will involve film personalities in this endeavour and will also seek the participation of school children.
Khan has also agreed to write a short script on environment for a video film which will be shot for the benefit of ForestDepartment. The department officials will be free to use it as part of any campaign in support of environment protection.
Lastly, the writer will contribute a series of articles/interviews on problems faced by the Forest Department. He will issue press statements on issues like need for electric crematorium in rural areas which could go a long way in preventing indiscriminate tree felling. He will also write on the need for permanent water resources in the forest interiors.
``The forest department also has a similar, but unimplemented, plan to install small dams and water sources. I think we must take up such projects very urgently. If we want to save wild animals, we have to first save their environment,'' Khan said today while chatting with reporters in the court premises.
When asked if the forest officials would now withdraw the case against him, Khan said: ``I wouldn't be able to guess their decision. However, I still maintain that I have not violated any law by giving personal care to some animalswhich were brought to me as helpless infants. In fact, every farm house in Panvel has a set of such animals. And my farm house, which incidentally forms part of the forest land, provided the best possible habitat to them.''
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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This story was printed from Net Express located at http://www.expressindia.com. Net Express provides a portal to India, with news from The Indian Express and The Financial Express along with sites on travel and tourism, the entertainment industry, the power sector, the environment and much more.
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