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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Art of Living seeks reconstitution of panel to examine impact of culture festival
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Art of Living seeks reconstitution of panel to examine impact of culture festival

AOL alleges that the present committee arrived at an arbitrary figure of Rs120 crore based on a brief 'visual assessment, without following any specific procedure'

A sum of `25 lakh was paid by the foundation, but it defaulted on payment of the balance `4.75 crore. It sought to submit a bank guarantee instead. The NGT then reserved its order on the request. Photo: Hindustan TimesPremium
A sum of `25 lakh was paid by the foundation, but it defaulted on payment of the balance `4.75 crore. It sought to submit a bank guarantee instead. The NGT then reserved its order on the request. Photo: Hindustan Times

New Delhi: The Art of Living (AOL) Foundation on Monday moved the National Green Tribunal (NGT) seeking the reconstitution of the expert committee that will examine the impact of the World Culture Festival held in March on the Yamuna floodplains.

AOL has alleged that the present committee arrived at an arbitrary figure of 120 crore based on a brief “visual assessment, without following any specific procedure" and called for a free and fair assessment under a new panel.

“The committee has pre-judged and is under pressure to justify the figure, creating a bias for itself," said the petition.

NGT chairman Justice Swatanter Kumar on Monday issued notices to the petitioner and environmental activist Manoj Misra, who had sought an assessment of the damage to the floodplains.

Acting on the petition, the NGT, on 25 May, asked an expert committee to assess the damage caused to the Yamuna floodplains by the three-day event. Activists have, however, said that the damage evaluation should have been done right after the festival.

In February, before the event was held, a four-member expert committee appointed by NGT—comprising A.K. Gosain, Brij Gopal, C.R. Prabhu and Shashi Shekhar—said that the event could have adverse environmental impact on the floodplains.

The panel had then estimated the cost of restoration for damage caused at 100-120 crore, and said it would take a year to carry out restoration work on the floodplains.

The tribunal, in an order of 9 March, allowed the Art of Living Foundation to host the event and ordered the foundation to pay Rs.5 crore in compensation for the damage caused to the floodplains.

A sum of 25 lakh was paid by the foundation, but it defaulted on payment of the balance 4.75 crore. It sought to submit a bank guarantee instead. The NGT then reserved its order on the request.

The case will be heard on Tuesday.

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Published: 30 May 2016, 08:19 PM IST
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