Will pay Rs 25 lakhs today, remaining within 3 weeks: Art of Living tells NGT

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday asked Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living (AOL) foundation to pay Rs 25 lakh today and granted three weeks' time to pay the remaining Rs 4.75 crore of the fine.

If the Art of Living fails to pay up, then the NGT would attach the grant Rs 2.5 crore which Culture Ministry is supposed to pay to AOL, it said.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar also clarified that the amount of Rs 5 crore be treated as environmental compensation and not as penalty.

When the counsel appearing for AOL submitted that the statement refusing to pay was made in a context that it will be difficult to pay as the foundation is a charitable trust, the bench said adherence to the rule of law is not only the duty of government but citizens also.

"Certainly adherence to the rule of law is the duty of not only the government but citizens also. The rule of law is a very foundation of administration of justice.”

"If the rule of law is hurt, it will affect the justice dispensation system. This controversy loses its significance by the stand taken by the Foundation. We do not wish to go into the merits of the controversy," the bench said and fixed April 4 as the next date of hearing.

Read: Sri Sri event: Centre assures damage control in case of harm to environment

Earlier in the day, AOL told the green court that it needs 4 weeks time to deposit Rs 5 crore fine and to comply with all tribunal directions.

“Art of Living it is a charitable organisation and is difficult to generate Rs 5 crore in a short period,” Sri Sri’s team told NGT.

Art of Living wanted to use the Rs 5 crore penalty towards the creation of a biodiversity park, as ordered by the court earlier this week.

NGT also took strong objection to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's earlier refusal to pay fine, says when a person of that stature makes such statements, it hits rule of law.

The order of the tribunal came on a plea by environmentalactivists seeking stay on AOL's World Cultural Festival here from today to March 13, alleging that they have not deposited Rs 5 crore fine.

The petition has alleged that AOL has not taken mandatory permissions from competent authorities like fire department, police and the Central Public Works Department (CPWD).

Read: Venkaiah Naidu backs Sri Sri’s event, says should not be politicised

During the hearing in the NGT, where CRPF and Delhi police personnel were deployed after some Rashtrawadi Shiv Sena members threatened to hold demonstration, AOL also moved an application seeking four weeks time to deposit the fine and comply with all the directions of the tribunal.

The tribunal also pulled up Ministry of Water Resources for not doing anything to protect river Yamuna from pollution despite directions.

"What have you done? Have you inspected the river? Despite directions you have not checked pollution in the river," the bench said.

During the hearing, a member of Ojaswi Party was also thrown out of the court room for disturbing the proceedings with the NGT issuing a show cause notice to him for contempt of court.

Read: Opposition creates uproar in Rajya Sabha, calls for Sri Sri to be sent to jail

On Thursday, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar sounded defiant saying he would rather go to jail than pay the Rs 5-crore fine imposed by the National Green Tribunal.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to attend the cultural extravaganza starting today on the Yamuna flood plains. President Pranab Mukherjee had earlier cancelled plans to attend the valedictory session on Sunday. The NGT bench, headed by its chief Swatantar Kumar, had sternly asked Art of Living Foundation to deposit the penalty by Friday, “failing which the law will take its own course”.

In a separate development, Zimbabwe’s state-controlled ZBC TV confirmed that President Robert Mugabe, who was to be one of the guests of honour, has called off his engagement at the festival.

The Supreme Court refused to entertain a plea seeking its direction to stop the three-day mega-event as a bench headed by Chief Justice T.S. Thakur asked the petitioner, Bhartiya Kishan Majdoor Samiti, to approach the NGT.

Read: Art of Living fest today: Sri Sri won’t pay Rs 5 crore fine, ready for jail

Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu came out in support of world cultural festival being organised by Art of Living on Yamuna flood plains and dismissed controversies surrounding the event, saying it should not be politicised.

In a series of tweets, Naidu said it is an event to celebrate cultural diversity and "will bring glory to India".

The Urban Development questioned the criticism over army building pontoon bridges for the event, saying there have been instances when the army has helped out during major congregations like Kumbh under previous governments.

"Unnecessary fuss abt army building pontoon bridge. In earlier regimes, several instances like Kumbh Mela, Sankranti in Nashik, Army did the same," Naidu said on Twitter.

Read: 20,000 weddings, Sri Sri fest to clog Delhi roads, massive traffic jam in the offing

He noted that 36,000 artistes participating in one event is in itself a record. "It's a cultural event to celebrate diversity. Let's celebrate and join d festival," he tweeted.

"World Culture Festival by Art of Living will bring glory to India. Let's not politicise this," he said in another tweet.

The AOL has drawn a lot of criticism over the possible environmental damage the event, likely to be attended by over 3.5 million people, will cause to the Yamuna. On Wednesday the NGT imposed a fine of Rs 5 crores on AOL for violating several environmental norms, and penalised and reprimanded the Delhi Development Authority and the Delhi Pollution Control Board for “not applying their mind” and “failing to perform their functions”.

“We have not done anything wrong. We have been taintless and will remain so. We are law-abiding citizens. We will go to jail but not pay a penny,” said spiritual guru Ravi Shankar on Thursday, reiterating: “Not a single tree has been felled, and just four have been pruned.” He said: “It was unreasonable to ask to shift the venue just two weeks before the event.”

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said his government would have suggested some “environmentally suitable” venue for the gala event had AOL approached it earlier.

The Delhi police, which has been monitoring the security situation at the venue closely, prepared a fresh status report under the supervision of special commissioner (law and order) Deepak Mishra and decided to heighten its deployment to around 6,000 personnel by roping in all 11 police districts and several specialised units.

Red-flagging some shortcomings, the Delhi police said a lack of direction boards, no fencing on the path leading to the venue, especially from Gates 10 and 11, which are to be open to the public, and inadequate CCTV cameras were some shortcomings listed in the status report.

Special commissioner of police (traffic) Muktesh Chander, who is charting out the traffic plan for the event, also visited the venue on Thursday to take stock of the arrangements and advised people to take public transport while avoiding the Noida Link Road, NH-24 and the Ring Road stretch from the point of intersection with Bhairon Marg till the mouth of the DND Flyway.

Dismissing reports that the culture ministry had given Rs 2.25 crores to AOL for the event, Union minister Mahesh Sharma clarified that the government has not extended any financial support for the event but Rs 2.25 crores was given to the Art of Living Foundation as part of “routine” grants to organisations promoting art and culture.