NGT asks Art of Living to pay Rs 4.75-cr fine in cash

Rejects Ravi Shankar-led foundation's request to allow bank guarantee

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday quashed the Art of Living (AOL) Foundation’s request to allow a bank guarantee in lieu of cash payment of the Rs 4.75-crore fine imposed on it for violating environment norms during an event organised on the floodplains of the Yamuna.

A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Swatanter Kumar rapped the Foundation for not depositing the amount despite an assurance to the tribunal.

The NGT had earlier allowed the World Culture Festival to be organised by the foundation between March 11 and 13 on the eastern floodbanks of the Yamuna in Delhi. While an initial fine of Rs 5 crore was set by the NGT as compensation for damaging the biodiversity of the flood plains, the foundation headed by spiritual leader Ravi Shankar had argued it didn't have the necessary funds.

Later, the court granted it three weeks to pay the full amount of Rs 5 crore while ordering Rs 25 lakh be paid immediately. AOL had later pleaded that it be allowed to provide a bank guarantee for the balance amount of Rs 4.75 crore. The organisers had also been ordered to bear the costs along with the Delhi Development Authority of turning the area into a biodiversity park - an idea AOL had argued for earlier.

The AOL "used the order of the court to hold the event and then went back on its commitment", the NGT observed. The green court said the organisers tried multiple legal cases "in order not to pay the fine".

On Monday, the Foundation had accused the expert committee formed by the NGT of bias and moved an application for its reconstitution. Expressing doubts over the findings of the committee, the AOL had said: "The committee has pre-judged the issue and are under self-imposed pressure to justify that figure, creating a bias for itself." On Tuesday, however, the Tribual said it would consider the Foundation's suggestion that the site be assessed by an independent body such as the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute.

On May 25, an expert panel comprising C R Babu, A K Gosain and Brij Gopal was directed by NGT to inspect the site and assess the damage allegedly caused to the floodplains due to the activities of the Foundation. A case had also been lodged earlier alleging that Shankar, who is the chairman of AOL, gave statements that the order was "politically motivated". However, AOL had maintained the allegations were based only on media reports and no such statement was given by Shankar.

The NGT will take up arguments regarding this on August 2.