The panel set up by the National Green Tribunal after the Art of Living Foundation’s World Culture Festival said Wednesday that restoring the river banks would cost around 420 million rupees ($6.5 million). Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top Delhi government officials attended the festival hosted by Hindu spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar despite criticism from environmental activists about damage to the river banks. The festival to mark the 35th anniversary of the Art of Living Foundation drew some 3.5 million visitors who came to see thousands of singers, dancers and other performers. Afterward, the watchdog set up the panel comprising environmental engineers and biodiversity experts to assess the impact that the festival had. Art of Living Foundation has dismissed the findings of the panel as biased.

Source: Washington Post April 13, 2017 10:05 UTC