Art of Living’s (AOL) plea to pay compensation by bank guarantee for the violation of environment norms during a cultural event organised in March this year was rejected by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s AOL has been asked by the NGT to pay a sum of Rs 4.75 crore within a week. According to the NGT, AOL had been given permission to go ahead with the event on the condition of paying the compensation.
On 25 May, an expert committee comprising CR Babu, AK Gosain and Brij Gopal was directed by the NGT to inspect the site and assess the damage allegedly caused to the floodplains of Yamuna due to the activities of the foundation.
Following this, on Monday, AOL moved the National Green Tribunal challenging the appointment of the committee for the inspection of the site. The Foundation sought reconstitution of an “independent” and an “unbiased” expert committee to examine the alleged impact of the World Culture Festival on the Yamuna floodplains.
The tribunal, however, replied saying it would consider AOL’s prayer for assessing the site by another independent body like National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) on Tuesday.
What is your problem? You keep on filing applications. How can you raise fingers, these persons in Expert Committee are highly qualified...What is the status of inspection? Has the committee inspected the site? Tell us tomorrow (Tuesday).The Bench
(With agency inputs.)
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