BENGALURU/ New Delhi: The Art of Living (AOL) foundation has deposited Rs 4.75 crore “environment compensation” with Delhi Development Authority as directed by the National Green Tribunal for damaging Yamuna’s biodiversity during its ‘World Culture Festival’ in March. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living deposited the environment compensation through a demand draft to the DDA on June 3.
“Art of Living foundation has submitted a demand draft of Rs 4.75 crore as per the orders of the National Green Tribunal on June 3,” said advocate Kush Sharma, appearing for DDA.
The AOL strongly refuted allegations that its three day mega event in March this year had damaged the Yamuna floodplains while indicating that it may not only approach the Supreme Court against the National Green Tribunal's order which had asked it to pay Rs 5 crore as compensation, but was expecting to win the money back.
Sources however indicated that AOL had not yet approached the apex court as it was on vacation. The green panel had on June 3 directed the expert committee headed by Shashi Shekhar, Secretary of Ministry of Water Resources to inspect the site on Yamuna floodplains where the three-day festival was organised, before June 10. The panel had also asked to submit a “complete and comprehensive” report in a sealed cover by July 4.
The bench had said that if the inspection was not done before June 10, the whole purpose of the visit by the expert committee would be “defeated” as there were chances of rain. It had also said that besides Shekhar, the inspection committee would comprise of senior scientist from National Environmental Engin-eering Research Institute, Professor C.R. Babu, Professor A.K. Gosain, Professor Brij Gopal and two more members.
The tribunal had slammed AOL for not depositing the environment compensation imposed on. It had held that corporate entity cannot be used to promote irregularities and said it would even lift the “corporate veil” and find “real substance” of the matter while examining the case to ascertain the truth.
