Yamuna event: NGT rebukes Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, says 'you have no sense of responsibility'

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday slammed the Art of Living (AOL) over Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's statement blaming Centre and the green panel for Yamuna floodplain damage, terming it 'shocking'.

"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.

NGT also asked AOL and other parties to file reply and objections to expert panel report on Yamuna floodplain damage due to the World Culture Festival, which was held in March last year.

 

Earlier this month, the green panel stated that spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living was responsible for destroying the Yamuna floodplain during the cultural extravaganza.

The report of an expert committee set up by NGT had said it would take Rs 42.02 crore and a decade for the ecological rehabilitation of the Yamuna floodplains from adverse damages caused by the festival.

Submitting an action plan for ecological rehabilitation of the impacted floodplain, the seven-member committee also suggested that the costs be divided between AOL and other agencies, as the tribunal sees fit.

However, the foundation cried foul while terming the report to be a 'conspiracy'.

Spiritual figure Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Tuesday blamed the government and the NGT for permitting AOL to hold the festival on the Yamuna river bed and said they should be held responsible if any environmental damage was caused.