Dear Editor,
This with reference to an article by Purnima S. Tripathi – Against All Norms - an outrageous and irresponsible article with a headline saying that "The World Culture Festival organized by the Art of Living Foundation on the floodplains of the Yamuna flouts environmental concerns and established rules and regulations."
The matter is still subjudice, the ruling has not been given, and only an 'environmental compensation' was sought by the NGT for reparations post the event.
When the issue of the media claiming that Gurudev had been “fined” came up in the Tribunal on 11.3.16, Justice Swatanter Kumar specifically clarified in his order that, “We make it clear that we have imposed a sum of Rs. 5 crores initially as an Environmental compensation in exercise of our jurisdiction in term of Section 15 and 17 of the NGT Act and not a penalty in term of Section 26 of the NGT Act.”
Yet the journalist in the headline itself has pronounced her judgement, further going on to say Gurudev has made a mockery of environmental concerns and brazenly flouted rules and regulations. Even the NGT has not said this much!
The event was not "patronized by the prime minister and his colleagues" as she put it but was attended by them along with dignitaries and other heads of states from 175 countries painting for the reader an utterly biased picture. She further embellishes her piece with more imagery to project Gurudev in poor light when she says 'Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar 'thumbing his nose at environmentalists who pleaded with him to change the venue....'
This is yet another example of gross misrepresentation amounting to defaming him as well as not presenting the true picture. Gurudev did not behave with environmentalists in the manner suggested and in fact reached out to them to hear their points of view.
Further to this it would have been fair to present the full picture instead of just the one side which seems to be the intention of this journalist. The environmentalists suggested moving the venue just 20 days before the event knowing full well the size of the stage, that most of the work was complete and the magnitude of the event. In fact the court itself questioned the complainants where they had been all the while and why they had woken up so late.
The next misleading statement is how the government has gone out of its way to facilitate a private program. The World Culture Festival was a PUBLIC program, open to the public and the government did not facilitate it.
We would like to state once and for all that it was not The Art of Living who decided to build the pontoon bridges nor did we call the army to build them.
Wherever there is such a huge public gathering, the government has to step in and take the steps necessary to face any eventuality like stampede. The Delhi government called in the army to build the pontoon bridges.
The Pontoon bridges were a safety measure for the people as there was going to be a large gathering of more than 3.5 million people. This has happened earlier too for other large gatherings as well for the Kumbh Mela and Yanni Concert as well.
Fire clearances were procured as they always are, on the day of the event.
The Art of Living was given full permission to hold the event on the Yamuna floodplains with rules that were strictly adhered to. No objection was raised it was going to raise an impermanent structure which is currently being dismantled.
We would like to end with a question to the journalist. All across the floodplains there are gross violations of the DDA and NGT guidelines. Massive, concretized, permanent structures that have been built and are being built as we speak. How come not a line let alone an article has been written on them? If they have, please do share.
Written by Radhika Hoon.
