The National Green Tribunal on Thursday issued contempt notice to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on a plea against him for holding the Centre and the green panel responsible for damaging Yamuna floodplains by allowing his NGO to hold the world cultural festival.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar issued notice to Ravi Shankar while seeking his reply before May 9, The Indian Express reported.
The plea filed by Yamuna activist Manoj Misra has sought action against Ravi Shankar and said that the AOL head was “in the habit” of making statements to “denigrate the dignity and status of this tribunal, which was an interference in the fair dispensation of justice.”
Meanwhile, Art of Living foundation claimed that no contempt notice has been issued against the organisation and the matter has been adjourned until May 9, 2017.
No contempt notice has been issued: @ArtofLiving Official Statement.
Read the full statement here – https://t.co/9z1BraZc1g pic.twitter.com/9VJrcPW7sh— The Art of Living (@ArtofLiving) April 27, 2017
Earlier in April, the NGT said that Art of Living was responsible for destroying the Yamuna floodplain during the ‘World Culture Festival’. The AOL foundation had termed it as a conspiracy and also stated that its legal team will study the NGT report and decide on the future course of action.
A Committee of Experts, appointed by NGT, told the green panel that the rehabilitation of Yamuna floodplains will cost Rs. 13.29 crore and take almost 10 years.
The NGT had initially imposed a Rs 5 crore interim compensation on AOL for the environmental damage caused by the event.
