A committee, set up to submit an action plan for restoring the Yamuna floodplains, on Friday told the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that there was no compaction of the soil on the site where the Art of Living’s three-day cultural extravaganza was held last year.
The report assumes significance as its findings are different from that of an earlier seven-member expert panel which had alleged that the floodplains were completely destroyed due to the World Cultural Festival of the foundation.
‘Area covered with grass’
The three-member committee, which was formed by the NGT after submission of the report by the larger panel, said the land where the function was held was found to be fully covered with grass and some saplings of tree species.
“This kind of grass and natural regeneration of seedlings is not possible on compacted soil. The area was also under water in small depressions. No significant size of the wetland/water body was noticed by the committee in the area used by the Art of Living,” the committee said in its report submitted before a Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.
Referring to Google earth images, the committee said in its report that it could not locate any “heap of debris” on the site and it was evident that no “wetland or water body” was seen on the site prior to the event.
“The committee also inspected the areas on the eastern bank, which are under the control of the U.P. government. This site, as informed by the Chief Engineer, was used for parking of vehicles on a 15-hectare land permitted by them to Art of Living temporarily for the event.”
He further informed the committee members that the land was being used by farmers for raising agricultural crops prior to the function and the site continued to be used for the same purpose.
‘Toxins washed out’
The panel comprises the principal commissioner of the DDA’s horticulture department and chief engineers from the irrigation departments of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.
With regard to the removal of the toxins which may have leached out of the dumped debris on the site, the panel said that two successive monsoons might have already washed away such material.
The matter will now be taken up for hearing on August 4.