Sri Sri Ravishankar¡¯s Art Of Living Destroyed Yamuna Floodplains; Rs 42.02 Cr, 10 Years Needed For Restoration

An NGT-appointed committee of experts has said rehabilitation of Yamuna floodplains, "destroyed", due to the three-day World Culture Festival organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living (AOL) will cost Rs 42.02 crore and take almost 10 years.

BCCL

"It has been estimated that approximately 120 hectares (about 300 acres) of floodplains of the west (right bank) of the river Yamuna and about 50 hectares (120 acres) floodplains of the eastern side (left bank) of the river have been adversely impacted ecologically at different magnitudes," it said.

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BCCL

Reacting to the findings of the report, AOL spokesperson Kedar Desai said, "Our legal team will study the report and decide on the appropriate future course of action."

The committee, in its 47-page report, said that due to the three-day event, the floodplain has lost "almost all its natural vegetation" like trees, shrubs, tall grasses, aquatic vegetation including water hyacinth which provides habitat to a large number of animals, insects and mud-dwelling organisms.

ALSO READ: An Ordinary Man Writes An Extraordinary Critique Of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's World Culture Fest Taking Place On The Yamuna

IBTtimes

Last year, the NGT had allowed AOL to hold a three-day 'World Culture Festival' of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living Foundation on the Yamuna floodplains. At that time, the green panel had expressed its helplessness in banning the event because of "fait accompli".

It, however, had imposed Rs 5 crore as interim environment compensation on the foundation for the event's impact on the environment.

Initially, a four-member committee had recommended that AOL Foundation should pay Rs 100-120 crore as restoration cost for "extensive and severe damage" to the flood plains of Yamuna river.

BCCL

Later, a seven-member expert committee had told NGT that the event organised on the Yamuna has "completely destroyed" the riverbed.

The committee had observed that entire floodplain area used for the main event site between DND flyover and the Barapulla drain (on the right bank of river Yamuna) has been completely destroyed, not simply damaged.