Union Minister Babul Supriyo today defended Delhi Development Authority (DDA), saying it followed the due procedure while granting permission for the three-day cultural extravaganza of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living on the Yamuna floodplains.
"DDA has given the permission to Art of Living's World Cultural Festival...It has followed the due procedure," the Minister of State for Urban Development said.
He, however, said it should be seen if DDA "over-stepped its limit".
The festival is scheduled to be held from March 11-13.
Advocate Rajiv Bansal appearing for DDA in National Green Tribunal (NGT) had yesterday backed the authority's decision to grant permission for the event, saying it has given the nod with conditions that no permanent construction will be permitted without permission from the competent authority.
The NGT had questioned the building up of a pontoon bridge by army on Yamuna for the festival and asked the DDA counsel as to who gave the permission for setting it up.
However, DDA had said it has no relation with the grant of permission for setting up the pontoon bridge and the Authority was only required to give no objection certificate for the bridge.
