Bringing the spotlight back on environmental degradation of the Yamuna riverbanks, the Art of Living (AoL) foundation said it is unable to remit the remaining Rs 4.75 crores of the 5 crore fine that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had imposed on it.
At the beginning of the World Cultural Festival, the NGT had slapped a fine of Rs 5 crores on the foundation as compensation for damaging the Yamuna riverbanks.
Image courtesy: artofliving.org
Even though the foundation had remitted a lump sum of Rs 25 lakhs already, it clarified on Friday that it is unable to pay the rest of the amount and can only offer a bank guarantee.
Last month, the tribunal had considered the foundation’s plea that it was a charitable organisation and that it cannot afford to pay such an amount at short notice. However, AoL was then asked to pay Rs 25 lakhs immediately.
The AoL supremo Sri Sri Ravi Shankar had earlier said that he would not pay the penalty and would instead prefer to go jail. The tribunal had expressed displeasure over his statement.
