Plea for holding religious function in park rejected

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has rejected a plea seeking permission to hold a religious function in a public park at Janakpuri here, saying the place needs to be preserved as “lung space”.

A Bench headed by Acting NGT Chairperson Justice Jawad Rahim said such a function cannot be held at a public place, which is meant for the benefit of the area residents.

“The applicants claim to be a group of persons who want to hold various public functions. Presently, they have sought directions to the respondents, namely the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, to permit them to hold a mata ki chowki in the park. Undoubtedly, it is a public function which normally cannot be allowed to be conducted in a park, which is to be preserved as lung space.... We find no case made out for grant of [permission for] the function. Hence, the application is rejected,” the Bench said. The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by city-based organisation Jyoti Jagran Mandal. It had sought directions to the SDMC for permission to conduct the religious function on June 9 at Chanchal park in Janakpuri. Referring to October 10, 2017, order of the NGT, the plea said the tribunal had allowed holding of a Ramleela function and Durga puja in the same park.