NEW DELHI: The World Culture Festival is now over and a team of the National Green Tribunal is preparing to visit the venue of the mega event, the Yamuna flood plains, to assess the damage caused to the fragile ecosystem there.
The NGT panel is expected to visit the Yamuna flood plains this week to take stock of the situation there.The three-day World Culture Festival, organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living (AOL) Foundation, ended on Sunday but left behind fears that it may have caused lasting damage to the already fragile eco-sensitive zone.
Experts say the flood plains act a natural groundwater recharge system and a flood barrier.World Cultural Festival: Three-day cultural extravaganza ends, Sri Sri says don’t politicise events which concern India’s prestige
Prior to the event which generated much controversy, the NGT had imposed a fine of Rs 5 crores (which AOL chose to call as environment compensation) and Rs 25 lakhs were submitted before the event’s start.AOL is required to pay the remaining fine within three weeks.
It may be noted that the green court may increase the fine or environment compensation after assessing the damage caused to the Yamuna flood plains.