Sri Sri says he won’t pay fine but support floodplain’s restoration

Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, whose cultural event on the floodplains of Yamuna is mired in controversy over violation of green norms, on Saturday once again sounded defiant, saying he will not pay any fine or penalty. But, he said, he would wholeheartedly support the “developmement and restoration” of the venue where the event is being held. Addressing the event on the second day, Ravi Shankar said the amount the National Green Tribunal had asked the AOL to pay was for restoration and not as a penalty.

“All through, I have lived a spotless life. I have never been late to school. I have never paid fine, even of a single paisa. So, we said we will not pay any fine. But then I was told that this is not a fine or penalty. It was wrongly reported in newspapers.

“They said it was for the development here. We said, if this is for development and restoration, then we will whole-heartedly support this and put everything into this,” Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said.

The NGT had on Wednesday allowed Art of Living Foundation to hold the festival but asked it to pay Rs 5 crore as environmental compensation for ecological damage.