Would have suggested other venue: CM Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said his government would have suggested some “environmentally suitable” venue for Art of Living Foundation’s World Cultural Festival being held on the floodplains of Yamuna if the organisers had approached it earlier.

“If Art of Living had come to the Delhi government earlier, we would have suggested them another venue in Delhi. It (World Culture Festival) could have been held at an environmentally suitable place,” Mr Kejriwal said while interacting with the members of Indian Women’s Press Corps (IWPC) here.

Activists have raked up the question of serious environmental violations on account of the event which is likely to be attended by about 35 lakh people.

The National Green Tribunal had yesterday imposed a Rs 5 crore fine on AOL as environment compensation and the foundation has announced it will appeal against the NGT order.

President Pranab Mukherjee has already pulled out of the event’s valedictory function on Sunday.

There was still speculation whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will open it on Friday. He is yet to take a decision whether to attend the inaugural function, official sources said. Meanwhile, a senior official of the Delhi government on Thursday said Mr Kejriwal may attend the concluding session of the event on Sunday.

Swaraj Abhiyan leader Prashant Bhushan on Thursday also attacked the Centre and Delhi government accusing them of “violating” rule and “destroying” environment by allowing World Culture Festival organised on the flood plains of Yamuna river.

Both the governments have “violated” all norms and there is no fire clearance for the event, he alleged.