The National Green Tribunal on Thursday told Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living (AOL) foundation that it has time till Friday to deposit a fine of Rs 5crore, failing which the law will take its own course.
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It also asked that the Rs 5 crore fine be taken as restoration amount for biodiversity park and not as penalty.
Parik further, “When we raised the issue of deposition of Rs 5 crore, they said there is still time left since the direction states that they need to deposit the money before the event starts”. Ravi Shankar tweeted that AOL was not “satisfied” with the verdict of the NGT and would appeal against it. “If we keep cursing it, then why will the world look at us”, Modi said. Reacting to the NGT order on Thursday, Ravi Shankar categorically refused to pay even “a penny” of Rs 5-crore compensation, saying “we will (prefer to) go to jail”. “Why don’t you go to the NGT”, the bench said.
The three-day long festival is being organised to mark 35 years of spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living, which aims to relieve individual stress, societal problems, and violence.
The green panel also directed the Central Pollution Control Board and the Ministry of Environment & Forests to issue adequate directives to the organisers of the event with regard to disposal of municipal solid waste and drinking water.
The Prime Minister’s address was preceded by addresses by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and several dignitaries from around the world, and a cultural programme featuring a large number of participants.
But later the green panel agreed to hear the matter in the open court.
The three-day extravaganza has been cloaked in controversy for days with environmentalists alleging that the festival, spread over 1,000 acres on the Yamuna river’s floodplains, has done irreversible damage to the delicate ecosystem.
“Yes, this is a private party, because the entire world is my family”, said Sri Sri in his speech, appearing to respond to his critics.
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Foreign guests and dignities participating in event include former Pakistani prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, President of Nepal Bidhya Devi Bhandari, President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena, US Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi and the Japanese and Norwegian culture ministers.
