Centre, DDA distance themselves from liability for damage to Yamuna floodplains in NGT
The panel had recommended that AoL should pay Rs 42 crore to rehabilitate and rejuvenate the damage done to Yamuna floodplains during AoL's event
The Centre, Delhi government and Delhi Development Authority (DDA), on Tuesday, distanced itself from any liability for the damage caused to Yamuna floodplains during Art of Living Foundation's (AoL) World Culture Festival before the National Green Tribunal (NGT). Their submissions came after NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar pointedly sought their response on Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's recent statement that it is the Centre, Delhi government and NGT that should pay a fine for environmental damage.
The NGT also heard, in detail, arguments from senior advocate Sanjay Parikh as to how AoL's actions and statements from Ravi Shankar amounted to both civil and criminal contempt of the NGT.
During the hearing on Tuesday, the four-member NGT bench sought to know the views of Environment Ministry, Water Resources Ministry, Delhi government, Delhi Pollution Control Committee and DDA on Ravi Shankar's statement. To this, the counsel for Environment Ministry said since the event did not require any clearance under the environment impact notification, they had no role to play and hence were not liable to pay any fine. However, he added, the ministry is ready to assist in restoration and rejuvenation of the Yamuna floodplains.
Responding to NGT's query, DDA's counsel, Rajiv Bansal, said that while the DDA stood by the permission they granted for the World Culture Festival, they should not be held vicariously liable. "I cannot venture into answer because I have not seen the file for a long time, and you cannot extend vicarious liability to me," Bansal said.
NGT's queries come in the backdrop of the report of an expert panel it had constituted. The panel had recommended that AoL should pay Rs 42 crore to rehabilitate and rejuvenate the damage done to Yamuna floodplains during AoL's event. Based on this report, Ravi Shankar had said, "The NGT can never get over the blot it has brought on itself by delaying natural justice to The Art of Living and allowing its own committee to malign the law-abiding organisation in the media."
The NGT will now hear the matter on May 11.