GREEN PANEL MAY RULE ON YAMUNA SHOW TODAY
NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal is likely to decide on Wednesday whether a mega cultural event will be held on the Yamuna floodplain in Delhi amid fears that it could harm the area’s delicate ecosystem.
The green court asked some tough questions to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), environment ministry and spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living foundation that has planned the programme, with millions of people expected to attend.
“Has any authority concerned considered the impact of the festival on the river, biodiversity, ecology and environment?” asked NGT chairperson Swatanter Kumar. He also wanted to know why no environmental clearance was sought for the festival.
The foundation said it will clean the river and will not cause any ecological damage, but this did not convince the court. “Don’t waste your breath on talking about your good intentions,” Kumar said.
The development came a day after President Pranab Mukherjee’s office announced he will not attend the event, to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that will feature yoga and meditation sessions, peace prayers and cultural performances. HT has written extensively on the damage and violation of construction norms by the organisers who have cleared more than 1,000 acres for the event that opens on March 11. The organisers are yet to get permissions from the city fire service, police as well as the transport department for parking cars at the Millennium Bus Depot.
Two pontoon bridges, built by the army, have also come under question. The Art of Living has said it will seek authorisation from Delhi Fire Service after the stage is built.
The tribunal, however, asked the counsel why they had sought permission for a gathering of 500,000 from the DDA when the gathering was expected to be much smaller.
“If only 2-3 lakh people are expected to come for the festival (every day over three days), why did you take permission for 5 lakh people? Are you confused about the scale of the event,” asked Kumar.
Two petitions, filed by environmentalists Manoj Misra and Anand Arya, have questioned the DDA’s consent to hold the festival on the floodplain. The DDA, the Capital’s largest land owner and developer, maintained that since the floodplain is under its control and is free for recreational use, it has the authority to give permission for the event.