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Art of ‘Expensive’ Living

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Art of Living (AOL) or Art of violating rules and regulations? People are confused that how such a big event was organized by putting all the norms beside? I have immense respect for Sri Sri Ravishankar, but I don’t approve such spiritual organization which breaks law of the land. People are drastically losing faith on political process and politicians. That’s why they are engaging to spiritual organizations like Art of Living. And if organizations will do the same practice then its worst for them. If AOL knows how to respect the nature and human beings, then it is unbelievable that they don’t know by this act they are damaging the environment and it is illegal. What is the point of mobilizing such large number of masses in the frazil ecosystem? They are doing well for the humanity then why cause destruction to the environment? What do they want to achieve out of this. AOL is competing with politicians. They are corrupt, they can break the law and they can indulge in all sorts of things, so AOL want to do all sort of works what they do? The question here is, does organization want to break the law even if they think they are doing good work?

DDA that had given permission to Art of Living for a program is under Central Govt, despite directives to it not to allow such events keeping in view the environmental precautions. Everybody knows that Sri Sri Ravishankar, chief of AOL, has close proximity with the PM Narendra Modi. And, this is the reason DDA has not objected to the event. Now, the President has expressed his unwillingness to attend the meeting, we only hope the Prime Minister would follow him. Sri Sri and Baba Ramdev are two spiritual and Yoga teachers who helped Modi in winning elections. Modi supporters and AOL followers on social media raised lots of noise against green tribunal. However, one had to surrender.

The National Green Tribunal, hearing a plea seeking stay against spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s World Culture Festival, haven’t issued any prohibitory orders against the holding of the event but slapped Art of Living with an initial fine of Rs. 5 crore to compensate the damage caused due to construction activity on the flood plains of Yamuna. NGT, giving the go-ahead for the event, ordered AOL to give an undertaking that enzymes won’t be released into Yamuna and no further degradation of environment will happen.

The tribunal also fined Delhi Development Authority Rs. 5 lakh and Delhi Pollution Control Board Rs. 1 lakh for failing to discharge their duty.

Earlier on Wednesday, there was an uproar in Rajya Sabha over Sri Sri’s event being organised on the banks of river Yamuna. The Delhi Police, in a letter to the Ministry of Urban Development after an inspection of the venue, on March 1, red-flagged the “shortcomings”, saying the stage, where the Prime Minister and several VVIPs are to be seated, lacks a structural stability certificate, a pre-requisite for any such gathering. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s enormous festival on the banks of the river Yamuna this weekend will go ahead as planned despite concerns over a shaky stage and the impact on the environment.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will open the three-day “World Culture Festival” that will feature yoga and meditation sessions, peace prayers and cultural performances. Amid security concerns flagged by the elite Special Protection Group, it is not clear if the PM will stick to this plan. A civic team has also told the police that the seven-acre stage set up for over 35,000 artistes and visitors from 150 countries is unsafe, and a separate stage should be built for the prime minister and other VIPs.

Besides the stage spread over six football fields, many temporary bridges, mobile towers and parking areas are also coming up. Over 1,000 acres on the Yamuna banks have been converted into a makeshift village. Ever seen this kind and scale of construction activity in Delhi, especially on a flood plain?” the tribunal questioned the government as it inquired into clearances given to the mega event. The green court was told that the Water Resources Ministry, the police or fire safety, granted no permission to the event. The government faced protests in Parliament as the opposition questioned why the event was allowed at the cost of the flood plains and why official resources like the army had been invested in it. Misuse of Army by the government is condemnable act; however things are sorted out for Ravishankar to conduct the event smoothly.

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Vaidehi Taman
Vaidehi Tamanhttps://authorvaidehi.com
Vaidehi Taman an Accredited Journalist from Maharashtra is bestowed with three Honourary Doctorate in Journalism. Vaidehi has been an active journalist for the past 21 years, and is also the founding editor of an English daily tabloid – Afternoon Voice, a Marathi web portal – Mumbai Manoos, and The Democracy digital video news portal is her brain child. Vaidehi has three books in her name, "Sikhism vs Sickism", "Life Beyond Complications" and "Vedanti". She is an EC Council Certified Ethical Hacker, OSCP offensive securities, Certified Security Analyst and Licensed Penetration Tester that caters to her freelance jobs.
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