The Congress Party on Wednesday said that National Green Tribunal's (NGT) decision will decide whether spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shnakar's ambitious international cultural festival will be celebrated or not.
Congress leader Ashwini Kumar told ANI that, "I have read the reports the NGT has expressed its primary view and sought information and when it will receive all the needed information from all the agencies it will give its decision according to which it will be decided that will the programme take place or not."
The (NGT) will today continue to hear the plea seeking to stop construction of temporary structure on the Yamuna floodplains for the event.
A bench headed by NGT chairperson Swantanter Kumar had yesterday asked the Ministry of Environment and Forests to file an affidavit today and tell why no environmental clearance is needed for raising temporary structures.
Meanwhile, The Delhi Police has raised serious security concerns over the World Culture Festival being organised by the Art of Living foundation on the Yamuna floodplains.
A DCP rank officer, who inspected the venue on March 1 along with his team, in a report submitted to the Ministry of Urban Development, Art of Living, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung and Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma raised serious question about the preparation and safety arrangements.
The report said that only one pontoon bridge is being prepared as opposed to seven, as proposed earlier, and the work on second bridge was still on. A pontoon bridge can at best be used by 15, 000 people in an hour, but the number of people expected to turn up for the event is around 2.5 to three lakh people, the report added.
The report also raises serious concerns about the security arrangements near the main stage, where the VVIPS, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would be seated.