New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday set aside the National Green Tribunal (NGT) order that had imposed a Rs 5 crore penalty on Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living Foundation for holding a cultural event on the Yamuna floodplain.
The case relates to the “World Culture Festival” conducted in March 2016 on the banks of the Yamuna in Delhi. The NGT had earlier held that the event caused environmental damage and directed the foundation to pay Rs 5 crore as compensation.
After paying the amount, the Art of Living Foundation challenged the NGT’s decision before the Supreme Court. The court heard arguments from all sides before delivering its verdict on August 22.
A bench comprising Justices Satish Chandra Sharma and N.K. Singh said there was no evidence to establish that the festival caused damage to the Yamuna’s environment. The bench also directed the Delhi Development Authority to refund the Rs 5 crore paid by the organisation.
