- Report by Swati
New Delhi, August 22, 2026
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Saturday set aside the National Green Tribunal’s order holding Vyakti Vikas Kendra India, associated with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living International Centre, responsible for damage to the Yamuna floodplain during the 2016 World Culture Festival.A bench comprising Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice NK Singh allowed the appeal filed by Vyakti Vikas Kendra and directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to refund the ₹5 crore environmental compensation deposited by the organisation. Case Dates Back to 2016 World Culture Festival.The case relates to the World Culture Festival held from March 11 to 13, 2016, on around 25 hectares of the Yamuna’s active floodplain upstream of the DND Flyway. The event attracted millions of visitors and had received permissions from the concerned authorities, including the DDA. Environmental activists, including Manoj Misra, convener of the Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan, approached the NGT alleging that preparations for the festival had caused extensive damage to the Yamuna floodplain.The NGT had imposed an environmental compensation of ₹5 crore and subsequently held the organisers responsible for restoration and rehabilitation of the affected area.Supreme Court Finds No Direct Evidence .The Supreme Court, however, found significant shortcomings in the evidence relied upon to establish that the festival had caused the alleged damage.The bench observed that there was no direct evidence establishing that the cultural festival caused damage to the fragile Yamuna ecosystem. The Court also noted that the floodplain was already in a damaged condition before the event site was handed over to the organisers. The Court questioned the reliance placed on a satellite image from September 5, 2015, observing that it appeared inconsistent with other contemporaneous material indicating that the floodplain was already degraded.A later government officials’ committee reportedly found grass and water at the site, no debris and no significant wetland or water body within the allotted area, while also finding no significant difference between pre- and post-event imagery. Restoration and Rehabilitation Are DifferentThe Supreme Court also highlighted the distinction between restoration and rehabilitation.According to the Court, restoration involves returning an affected area towards its original condition, whereas rehabilitation involves making an ecosystem fully functional and capable of providing ecological services.The bench held that the NGT had expanded the organisers’ responsibility by imposing a broader rehabilitation obligation in proceedings that were essentially concerned with alleged damage attributable to the 2016 event. DDA Still Responsible for Yamuna Floodplain Protection While setting aside the NGT’s order against Vyakti Vikas Kendra, the Supreme Court made it clear that the DDA continues to have responsibility for the broader rehabilitation and protection of the Yamuna floodplains.The Court referred to the authority’s duties under the public trust doctrine and emphasised the need for preventive measures to stop further deterioration of the active floodplain. The Supreme Court’s ruling therefore brings an end to the environmental compensation imposed on the Art of Living-linked organisation in this case and directs the refund of ₹5 crore deposited with the DDA.
