New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has slammed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) for granting permission to the Art of Living (AoL) Foundation for holding a three-day cultural extravaganza on the Yamuna floodplains last year, saying it did not act in accordance with the law.
A bench headed by NGT chairperson justice Swatanter Kumar said that the DPCC had failed to exercise due caution in granting permission to the AoL and that it should have given its approval for the event in accordance with the environmental laws in place.
“It is the primary duty of the committee to ensure that there is no pollution caused on land, water, air and other natural resources,” the green panel said.
This apart, the tribunal also said There should not be any environmental damage or degradation permitted.
If such a large number of persons were gathering for such an event, it was obvious that a huge quantity of waste — municipal waste, plastic waste, sewage and human excreta — would be generated. It ought to have prescribed due precautions for management of these in accordance with the rules in force,” the tribunal said.
The green panel said, “Therefore, the pollution control committee has not acted in accordance with the law.”
In a detailed judgement, the NGT had held the AoL responsible for causing damage and environmental degradation of the Yamuna floodplains by organising the cultural extravaganza last year.
While refusing to impose an extra environment fine on the AoL which has already deposited Rs 5 crore, the tribunal had ordered the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to use this amount to restore the floodplains.
