REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE NAMED BY THE HON'BLE NGT FOR VISITING THE SITE OF THE WORLD CULTURE FESTIVAL IN THE MATTER OA No. 76 of 2016 (M.A. No, 144 of 2016) | accordance with the order of Hon'ble National Green Tribunal (NGT) dated 19.02,2016, in the aforesaid matter, on Saturday, the 20th February 2016, a team lead by Shr Shashi Shekhar, Chairman, Principal Committee appointed by the Hon'ble NGT, along with the experts namely, Prof. AK. Gosain of IIT Delhi, Prot. .R, Babu of Deini University, Prof. Brij Gopal (Jaipur) and senior officials of DDA. ‘and irrigation & Flood Control Dept. of GNCTD, visited the site near OND Flyover where World Culture Festival is proposed to be organized by Art of Living Foundation during 11 to 13 March 2016. The Committee extensively walked through ‘most of the areas between the river Yamuna & DND Flyover and also on the eastern ‘ide of river bank between 10.00 am. and 1.00 p.m. The Committee also interacted with Mr. Gautam Vig, the organizer from the Art of Living Foundation, ‘Observations at the Site ‘The Committee observed that (a) the entre area of the flood plain between the river and the DND fiyover has been levelled fat. The small water bodies that existed earlier have been flled up and all the natural vegetation has been removed and the site has been compacted (0) Construction debris has been dumped especially on some of the roads that are constructed along the river margin (©) Two ramps have been constructed joining the OND flyover with the flood plains Close to the stage for the festival for providing access to the VIPs on the rear side of the stage by filing with debris and earth. (©) One pontoon bridge has been completed on River Yamuna and another one is under construction and few more are proposed on the river Yamuna and Berapuilah drain (6) Besides the natural floodplain vegetatior removed or loppedAr (0 Parking sites have been proposed on both sides ofthe foogp western) of the river; approach roads to the parking lots wil be about 650 portable tollets willbe placed at various locations ofthe the public in (eastern and constructed and venue to facitate (G) Several large portable enclosures have been erected for citferent {acitios and for performers, An enormous stage (about 1200 feet lon nd 40 feet high) is being erected with the help of acatflaing of ste 'e covered with wocden planks and on the top with fbre glass dom expected to support 10's of thousands of musicians, performers an the function, functions, office 19 200 feet wide 21 pipes and wil 188. The stage is id dancers during (") Avthe moment the entre st istered with constuction material. The food pin on the eastern side ofthe river is proposed to be used for creating parking lots cioser {0 the ver for buses, care and ether vehicles and connecting them with access Toate conetructed over the oodpiin. A network of accee roads to the parking lots Wil be constructed ftom Noida link road and NH-24, Some leveling work is already ‘in progress in the site on the eastern floodplain of the river Yamuna {0 The Commitee feels iis not possibie to ascertain whether there was any malba ‘hich is claimed to have been removed by the organisers, © The Commitee observed thet the total area that has been impacted on the Wester side of the river would not be less than 80 to 60 hectares. In this entre area, the flood plain has bs completely destroyed: the natural vegetation consisting of feeds, and trees has been completely removed, and the large numberof birds and other natural life that was supported by the floods destruction plain has vanished due to this VIOLATION OF the NGT ORDER {1) This permission by the DDA tothe Art of Living Foundation te organize a cultura {estval onthe ecclogicaly sensitive Yamuna flood plain by destroying a ver sizable ares isin gross violation of the NGT.order dated 13" Jan 2016, The court should appropriately deal with this violation. The court In its order 13.01.2015 had also iaberately mentioned the ecological restoration of Yamuna foodplain and thus imposed restriction on any aversion on the Yamuna foodpial, zoy ©) The Principal Commitee supported by the Expert Commitee had also submited {trough ar affidavit the detal restoration plan in October 2018 wherein tis area wee Specifcally mentioned with detalles recommendations. The Principal Committee hag {80 recorimended that DDA should take immediate action for ecological restoration Of flood plains a8 suggested in is atfdavit so that no future diversion can be thought of by he authorities and also prevent encroachment of any nature (@) Having seid that, there is an ugent need to restore the area damaged by the Crdanizers soon afer the World Culture Festival is over. Since extensive and severe Gamage has already occured, simple stoppage ofthe acvty and removal ofa hat hhas been cone at this juncture may not serve much purpose (4) The commie is ofa very strong view that such incidents shoud not happen 6Ver again and should not be tolerated the least. Floodplains play a very important {21 In fufling the ecological functions for ensuring flood contr, ground water ‘echarge, water quality enhancement and biodiveraty conservation. Therefore. the Issue before the Committee is to suggest, how the floodplain demaged in the Process for this event can be restored in line with the recommendations of the Principle Committee which is already before this Hon'ble NGT Specific Recommendations, (? During interaston with the Committee, Shr Gautam Vig stated that the number of Beople expected to come to the function would not be mare than 2-3 lakhs, though {he breparation is for accommodating 2.5 milion people at the site during the cutura festival. n view ofthe revised numbers and plan whichis signfanty lower than the ‘number for which it was originally planned, the organisers must restit the area for thelr functicn to the bare minimum and submit a revised plan through an affidavit to ‘he court within a day or two along with a site map stating al the details, The ‘scthites on the eastern side ofthe rver Yamuna should also be minimized © The Commitee is of a strong view, thatthe organizers ie. the At of Ling Foundation should be responsible for funcing the restoration plan as a penalty. The Committee in is rough estimation feels that the total cost of restoration of the floodplain on the westem side of River alone, as proposed by the Princ Committee will now be of the order of Rs. 100-120 crores Cebris is to be removed, the site is to be Given that huge quantity of compacted, the natural topography endhy Contours to be restored, removing the tempora ry roads and re-plantation of natur vegetation etc {6) The Commitee recommends tha his amount shoud be ordered to be colected ‘fom the Art of Living Foundation before the evant and kept in a separate account monitored by Horible NGT. The entre ecclogical restoration activites should be completed within one year trom the date of the completion of the festival ie 13° of March 2016. {%) The Commies futher recommends that the comprehensive ecological ‘esloraon a8 suggested in ts October 2016 report shoud be monitored closely by {he Chairman, Principal Committee along with the 3 Experts namely, Prof AK Sosain of IIT Delhi, Prof. C.R. Babu of Delhi Univerty and Prof. Bx) Gopal who ‘should submit monthly report to the NGT. (©) Lasty, the Commitee has a strong view that through a suitable order, a strong ‘message be given to DDA and all the concerned authorties & organisations to Prevent any attempt for further such violation in future. rae