Article which we are rebutting: Is National Green Tribunal going soft on Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living?
First and foremost, it seems you are confused. In three separate places at the start of your article you refer to the amount pronounced by the NGT on 9 March as a 'fine', an 'environmental fine' and then an 'environmental compensation'. So let's set the record straight. The amount in question was and is an 'environmental compensation' and not a fine.
That in effect means that The Art of Living was not being fined but was asked to pay reparation charges to restore the land to its original condition that in itself is ironical as 2530 acres of the land in question was filled with malba which the Art of Living had to have removed.
The amount in question as you mention is Rs. 5 crore towards which Art of Living paid an initial deposit of Rs.25 lakh. The Art of Living has now asked the court to accept a bank guarantee which means the bank stands guarantee to pay the amount in case the debtor defaults. However, The Art of Living is challenging an observation by the tribunal that its event caused 'irreversible' damage and would like a scientific review of the same. It is well within its right to do so.
There are no delaying 'tactics' as you suggest. A stage of that magnitude will take time to take down and hence adjustments need to be made. The Art of Living has said that it will hand over the land better than it found it and it will do so.
Shocking were the remarks by Vimlendu Jha of NGO 'Swecha' suggesting that the judiciary was compromised.
Might we suggest that Mr. Jha is an object of suspicion for his relentless tirade against Art of Living's 3 day event and his absolute silence on the gargantuan permanent concretized structures that have been built and continue to be built on these very floodplains that have in fact irreversibly damaged this area.
The case is subjudice as you know. Suggesting that the NGT is going soft on Art of Living is trying to put pressure on the court just as erroneous media coverage has been doing so all along. There has been gross misreporting, misrepresentation and conjecture. Kindly let the court do its job and please honestly and unbiasedly do yours.
The picture accompanying the article is a sad reflection of how the media has fallen. It is in very poor taste. We are very disappointed that Catch News has stooped to this level by portraying our own Indian saint in this objectionable manner, a saint revered worldwide as one witnessed during the World Culture Festival.
Written by Radhikha Hoon.
