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Yamuna bank festival: NGT to hear fresh petition today, to decide event's fate

by IBNS 10 Mar 2016, 06:55 pm

New Delhi, Mar 11 (IBNS) The World Cultural Festival, spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar's Art of Living Foundation's global youth festival, ran into further trouble as the National Green Tribunal (NGT), India's highest environmental court, is about to hear fresh petition on Friday thus, deciding the fate of the programme, according to reports.

Earlier this week, the NGT had cleared the event but ordered the AOL foundation to pay a fine of Rs 5 Crore  before the inauguration of the event.

Environmentalists have alleged that the programme, due to take place on the banks of Yamuna over the course of three days will cause irreplaceable damage to the flood plains.

The event has also come under scanner, with many taking a swipe at both the central government and Delhi government for bias.

PM Narendra Modi is likely to attend the event, though President Mukherjee opted out of it.

AOL Founder and spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar opposed the fine and was quoted by NDTV as saying, "We have not done anything wrong...we will go to jail but not pay a penny."

The event is covering an estimated 1000 acres of land and is already causing a massive traffic congestion.

Temporary construction includes floating bridges and a 7-acre stage, which will house around 35,000 performers.

A lakh followers is expected to attend the mega event.