Supreme Court overturns NGT order against Art of Living, orders refund of Rs 5 crore

The Supreme Court on Saturday set aside a 2017 National Green Tribunal order that held Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living Foundation responsible for damaging the Yamuna floodplain during its 2016 World Culture Festival. A bench of Justices Satish Chandra Sharma and NK Singh held that there was ample evidence showing the site was already in a dilapidated condition before being handed over to the foundation. The court directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to refund the Rs 5 crore environmental compensation deposited by the foundation within four weeks.

The NGT had ordered the compensation based on an expert committee report that found preparatory work at the site had damaged the floodplain. The Supreme Court, however, said the tribunal was swayed by that report without considering contemporaneous evidence of pre-existing damage or the failure of authorities to implement earlier orders on Yamuna protection. The court also criticised the DDA for granting permission for the event on an active floodplain, calling it avoidable and inconsistent with the precautionary principle and public trust doctrine. It directed DDA to continue rehabilitation work on the floodplain.