Dear Editor,
In your article about the World Culture Festival - Gurudev's foundation yet to pay NGT fine for Yamuna event - dated April 10th, 2016 we would like you to take note of our strong objection in saying that 'NGT allowed The Art of Living to organize the event but only after slapping a fine of Rs. 5 crore as an interim environmental compensation'. By using the word 'fine' you suggest wrong doing on the part of the organization which as we speak is being challenged in the NGT court.
The Art of Living would like to clarify that the NGT has NOT imposed any fine on the organization as reported by you.
The Tribunal in its interim order dated March 11, 2016 has categorically stated, "We make it clear that we have imposed a sum of Rs. 5 cr initially as an 'environmental compensation' in exercise of our jurisdiction in terms of section 15 & 17 of the NGT Act and not a penalty (fine) in terms of section 26 of the NGT Act".
Media is requested to note the legal and connotation difference between 'penalty' which the word 'fine' implies, and 'compensation'. They are completely different terms governed by different sections of the act and it is important to understand that the two cannot be used interchangeably.
A fine or penalty indicates violation of a law but it was clear from the beginning that The Art of Living has violated no law. The organization had obtained all permissions for the event before starting the preparations. Some activists made false allegations just before the event. However, they were not able to establish any grounds nor were they able to offer any satisfactory explanation to the questions raised by the NGT to them. As a result, the NGT allowed the event to go on with a compensation amount for restoration of the land.
Please note by using the word 'fine', The Week is misquoting the court's order.
The Art of Living requests you to exercise caution when reporting on the matter. Kindly allow the court to do its work unhindered by conjecture and misreporting.
