Sri Sri Ravishankar’s Art of Living (AoL) has termed as “unscientific and illogical” a National Green Tribunal panel’s report, which held that AoL’s three-day “World Cultural Festival” caused damage t
Sri Sri Ravishankar’s Art of Living (AoL) has termed as “unscientific and illogical” a National Green Tribunal panel’s report, which held that AoL’s three-day “World Cultural Festival” caused damage to the Yamuna riverbed. Demanding a fresh probe by an “unbiased” panel, AoL lawyer Kedar Desai and environment expert Prabhakar Rao told a press conference here that “no damage” was caused to the environment due to the event held in March.
“The area was not notified as wetlands, but as floodplains only. In the Delhi Wetland Atlas, there is no mention of any wetland at the site where the event was held,” said Mr Rao.
“The committee, in its report, has not quantified the damage. Earlier, it had estimated the damage at Rs 120 crore. Now they are saying they cannot provide a figure,” Mr Rao added.
“How can a panel go against their own estimate The committee has submitted two satellite images only. One of the period before the event and the other of the period after it was wrapped up.
“We have requested the NGT to set up an unbiased committee. Our application is yet to be taken up by the tribunal,” he said.
“Multiplicity of data is required to assess the exact situation. Even the weeds in the river cleared by the government by spending crores of rupees were claimed to be damaged by the event. We have provided scientific data to prove that no damage was done by the event,” Mr Rao said.
“We have faith in the judiciary and hope that the NGT will ensure justice. We will again submit our objections to the report to the NGT and seek fresh unbiased committee probe,” Mr Desai said.
