Supreme Court Sets Aside NGT Order Holding Art Of Living Liable For Yamuna Floodplain Damage, Orders ₹5 Crore Refund

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Saturday set aside a 2017 National Green Tribunal (NGT) order holding the Art of Living Foundation, through its associated entity Vyakti Vikas Kendra India, liable for environmental damage to the Yamuna floodplains following its World Culture Festival in March 2016. The court also directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to refund the ₹5 crore environmental compensation deposited by the foundation.

SC Finds No Direct Link To Environmental Damage

A bench of Justices Satish Chandra Sharma and N Kotiswar Singh held that an individual or entity can be held absolutely liable for environmental damage only when a direct connection is established between the alleged activity and the harm caused. The court found no direct evidence establishing such a link between the Art of Living event and the alleged damage to the Yamuna floodplain ecosystem.

Dispute Dates Back To 2016 World Culture Festival

The three-day World Culture Festival was held on the Yamuna floodplains in Delhi from March 11 to 13, 2016. Before the event, the NGT had allowed it to proceed while directing the foundation to deposit ₹5 crore as interim environmental compensation. The amount was to be adjusted against any final compensation after an assessment of the environmental damage.

In December 2017, the NGT held the Art of Living responsible for the damage and directed that the deposited amount be used by the DDA for restoration of the affected floodplain. The tribunal also ordered a further assessment of the restoration costs.

DDA Faulted For Failing To Protect Floodplains

While setting aside the NGT's liability order, the Supreme Court observed that the DDA had itself failed to properly protect the ecologically sensitive Yamuna floodplains. The court also noted that the authority's conduct in permitting the event was improper.

However, the bench clarified that the legality of the DDA's permission for the event was not under challenge in the appeal before it.

DDA To Continue Restoration Work

The Supreme Court directed the DDA to refund the entire ₹5 crore deposited by Vyakti Vikas Kendra India. At the same time, it ordered the authority to continue the rehabilitation and restoration work on the Yamuna floodplains as directed earlier by the NGT.

The ruling provides significant relief to the Art of Living Foundation after nearly a decade of litigation, while also underscoring the responsibility of authorities to protect the environmentally sensitive Yamuna floodplains.