NGT to hear arguments on contempt plea against Sri Sri

The National Green Tribunal will take up on August 2 the arguments on plea for contempt proceedings against spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar for his alleged statement terming the environment compensation imposed by the Green Tribunal politically motivated.

The Art of Living (AoL), founded by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, has maintained that the foundation has not flouted any environment norms while organising the World Culture Festival (WCF) or caused any damage to the Yamuna floodplains where the three-day event was held. 

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday asserted that it has powers to move contempt proceedings against anybody disobeying its orders. 

“The Tribunal has power to punish the people disobeying its orders. Section 19(4) of the NGT Act vests the power of Civil Courts in us. We can issue contempt notices,” Justice Swatanter Kumar, the chairperson of the NGT and former Supreme Court judge, said while responding to queries of Art of Living (AoL) counsel. 

The NGT had asked the AoL to pay Rs.5 crore as environment compensation for the damage the World Culture Festival (WCF) had caused to the fragile Yamuna floodplains’ eco-system in March this year. 

Even after two months of the completion of event, the foundation is yet to pay the entire amount, although it had paid a part of it (Rs.25 lakh) before the commencement of the event. 

The court has also directed the principal committee it had appointed in March to “assess the damage incurred by the WCF to the floodplains” to submit its report by June 8.