NEW DELHI: March 9, DHNS: Confusion over fate of the Art of Living’s upcoming world cultural festival on the flood plains of the Yamuna continued on Tuesday as the hearing before the National Green Tribunal on an environment activist’s petition seeking an order to stop holding of the three-day maga event remained inconclusive.
Resuming the hearing, the Green Court posed volley of questions to the Centre and the Delhi government, asking why clearance was given to Art of Living Foundation (AoLF) for the holding of the event.
It also sought to know from the government as to who gave permission for building up pontoon bridge by the Army on Yamuna for mega event. The Water Resource Ministry sought time from the tribunal for seeking instructions on giving reply to its question.
The Green Court also asked the Uttar Pradesh government to explain under what authority of law was parking area allotted for the event and that whether the location allotted for parking of vehicles came within the flood plains area.
The Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) stated before the NGT bench that no environment clearance was required for construction of temporary structures at the site chosen for organising the event as per Environment Impact Assessment Notification 2006.
“You file an affidavit by tomorrow (Wednesday) and tell us why no environmental clearance is needed for raising temporary structures in flood plains," the NGT bench headed by its chairperson Swantanter Kumar directed the ministry.
Counsel appearing on behalf of the DDA defended the grant of permission for holding of the event, maintaining that the authority gave its nod to the organiser’s proposal with conditions that no permanent construction will be carried out without clearance from the competent authority.
“The area is meant for recreational activity. The area is with DDA and it is the competent authority. Permission was granted after taking proper legal opinion which was conditional that no permanent structure will be constructed and also that it will be subject to permissions from other concerned authorities,” the DDA’s counsel argued.
The tribunal, however, pulled up the DDA as it submitted before the NGT bench that a constant watch was being maintained to ensure that no debris or municipal waste was dumped on Yamuna flood plains, saying that a running contractor was there to remove the debris, if any dumped.