World Cultural Fest: Arvind Kejriwal welcomes NGT's verdict, asks to put politics around it to rest

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday welcomed National Green Tribunal's verdict over organising of Art of Living's World Cultural Festival.

Tweeting about the verdict, Kejriwal said, “Now that NGT has given its verdict, all politics and controversies around Art of Living event should be put to rest.”

Now that NGT has given its verdict, all politics n controversies around AOL event shud be put to rest(1/2)

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 9, 2016

Further hailing the event, he wrote, “It's a huge cultural event wherein people from 155 countries are coming. Delhi welcomes all guests.”

Its a huge cultural event wherein people from 155 countries are coming. Delhi welcomes all guests(2/2)

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 9, 2016

The National Green Tribunal today cleared the decks for the three-day cultural extravaganza of Art of Living on the flood plains of Yamuna river from Friday but imposed a fine of Rs five crores on it as environmental compensation.

After posing tough questions, the tribunal also slapped fine of Rs five lakh on DDA and Rs one lakh on Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) for not discharging statutory functions.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, asked AOL, headed by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to deposit Rs five crores as environmental compensation before the event begins on March 11.

(With PTI inputs)