Art of living (AOl) foundation on Monday handed over World Cultural Festival venue site to land owning agency DDA and also confirmed that there will be no construction done by them. The WCF venue site is now barricaded and a board has been put up that stated that this land is under the Delhi Development Authority.
While responding to criticism made by environmentalists relating to the gathering of more than lakh people on Yamuna flood plain area, the AOl legal expert Sarswati Nath said the NGT committee or the environmentalists who had petitioned against AOl organisers have no scientific evidence on the damage of wetland area. "On the basis of visual assessment, nobody can claim wetland damage. No soil or water sample had been taken by the committee. On what basis green tribunal or environmentalists have filed the case," Nath asked.
Giving more clarification on the present condition of wetland area, environmentalist Rakesh Ranjan said the wetland area is gaining back its marshland nature as there is natural growth of wild reed grass. "As an environment scientist, I can say that there is no damage to wetland area. Surprisingly, DND flyover and Batla house colonies have been constructed on the core of Yamuna wetland in the name of public convince or government policies. Why are other environments not reacting to thatIJ" asked Ranjan.
