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The Supreme Court today(August 22) set aside an order of the National Green Tribunal, which directed Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living Foundation to pay Rs. 5 crore for the damage caused to the river Yamuna floodplains due to its World Culture Festival organised by Vyakti Vikas Kendra in March 2016.

A bench comprising Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice NK Singh, allowed the appeal filed by Vyakti Vikas Kendra, an entity associated with the Art of Living Foundation, against the order passed by NGT in December 2017. The Bench held that there is no direct evidence that the cultural festival caused damage to the River Yamuna's fragile ecosystem.

The bench directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to refund the fine of Rs 5 crore paid by Vyakti Vikas Kendra.

The case was with respect to the World Culture Festival held from March 11 to March 13, 2016, and brought in some 3.5 million people from all over the world. The Art of Living undertook construction on the Yamuna floodplain for organising the said festival.

Alleging that that festival caused extensive damage to the floodplains, one Manoj Misra, the convener of campaign Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan, and two others, Pramod Tyagi, and environmental activist Anand Arya approached the NGT.

The NGT held Art of Living responsible for the damage caused to the floodplain and directed that he floodplains of river Yamuna in the National Capital Territory of Delhi should not be used to hold any activity as in the instant case.

To be updated once the judgment is uploaded.

Case Details:  VYAKTI VIKAS KENDRA INDIA v MANOJ MISRA (DEAD) AND ORS.|C.A. No. 683/2018

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