Sri Sri blames govt, NGT for ‘damage’

Says Art of Living had obtained all necessary permission to hold culture fest

Blaming the government and the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for permitting the Art of Living to hold the World Culture Festival on the Yamuna floodplains, founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Tuesday said they should be held responsible if any environmental damage was caused.

Mr. Shankar said the foundation had obtained all necessary permissions, including from the green panel, and the event could’ve been stopped in the beginning itself if the Yamuna was “so fragile and pure”.

He noted, “If any fine has to be levied, it should be levied on the Central and State governments and the NGT for giving permission.

A release issued by the Art of Living foundation said: “If the Yamuna is so fragile and pure, they should’ve stopped the World Culture Festival at the very beginning. A historic programme deserving of applause and appreciation is unjustly projected as crime. Witnessed by 1.8 billion people all over the world and a massive turnout on the ground, a floating stage of seven acres without any foundation, the event polluted neither air, water nor land. World over, cultural programmes are held on riverbanks.”

It added, “The NGT can never get over the blot it has brought on itself by delaying natural justice to the Art of Living and allowing its own committee to malign the law abiding organisation in the press.”

Committee suggestion

An expert committee had told the NGT that a whopping ₹42.02 crore would be required to restore the floodplains, allegedly ravaged due to the cultural extravaganza organised by the group last year. The panel had suggested that there would be two components of rehabilitation plan — physical and biological, and that they would cost ₹28.73 crore and ₹l3.29 crore respectively, besides additional ancillary expenses.