NGT asks Art of Living Foundation to pay Rs 100 crore for Yamuna damage

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living Foundation's World Cultural Festival is slated to commence on March 11th till March 13th, 2016.

Ever since the festival's announcement, Sri Sri has continuously found himself in a spot with legal issues concerning the Yamuna river, where the event will take place.

For those who are unaware, let us fill you in on the reason. The Yamuna river is a sacred water body and has always been in the news for the way it's being polluted. Conscious efforts by various NGO's, till date, are being made to keep it clean.

In the midst of all this, the organisers of the World Cultural Festival, that is the Art of Living Foundation, decided to convert over 1000 acres of land on the banks of the Yamuna into a makeshift river for the festival.

This move caused an uproar among the population as well as the legal authorities, since they feel that the organisers have damaged the flood plains.

A group of experts who assessed the site said that heavy losses had been caused to the land next to the river.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has said that the festival will cause no harm to the river and that safe distance will be maintained.

However, after thorough inspection of the venue, the NGT has said that Sri Sir Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living foundation must pay atleast Rs 100 crore for damaging flood plains during his mass festival on the banks of river Yamuna river.

According to a report in India.com, NDTV quoted Professor CR Babu, appointed by the National Green Tribunal to review the damaged sites, said that damage has been caused to large acres of flood plains. He also said that around Rs 100 to 120 crores will be required to revive the lands.

The upcoming festival already boasts of over 3 million participants from around the globe and the main concern here is that the congregated population during the three-day festival will pollute the river.