The National Green Tribunal on Thursday slammed the Art of Living Foundation for its founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar putting the blame on the Centre and the Tribunal for the damage to the Yamuna floodplains.
“You have no sense of responsibility. Who gave you liberty to speak whatever you want to. It is shocking ,” a Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.
The observations came after advocate Sanjay Parikh, appearing for petitioner Manoj Misra, informed the Bench about Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s recent statement blaming the government and the NGT for permitting his NGO to hold the World Culture Festival on the river floodplains.
Mr. Parikh told the green Bench that the spiritual guru has gone to the extent of levelling allegations against the NGT. Sri Sri Ravishankar had posted the statement on the website of the Art of Living, his Facebook page and informed the media of the same in a written statement.
Counsel for the Art of Living Foundation, however, contested the findings of an expert panel, saying that they have certain objections with regard to the findings and sought the setting aside of the report.
The Bench then directed the Foundation and other parties in the case to file their response and objection within two weeks and posted the matter for further hearing on May 9.
On April 18, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar blamed the government and the NGT for permitting the Art of Living Foundation to hold the festival on the Yamuna riverbed. He said they should be held responsible if any environmental damage was caused.
He said the Foundation had obtained all necessary permissions, including from the green panel, and the event could have been stopped in the beginning itself if the Yamuna was so “fragile and pure.”
The expert committee had told the NGT that a whopping Rs 42.02 crore would be required to restore the floodplains. It suggested that there would be two components of rehabilitation plan — physical and biological, and they would cost Rs 28.73 crore and Rs. 13.29 crore respectively, besides additional ancillary expenses.
