The Supreme Court (SC) criticised the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board today, today, Friday, February 14 for appealing against a decision to quash a show cause notice issued against the Isha Foundation for allegedly violating environmental regulations after two years.
A bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice N Kotiswar Singh described the petition filed by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) as a "friendly match" between officials seeking the Supreme Court's approval for the petition's dismissal.
“Mr advocate general what prevented the authorities from approaching the court on time. There is a delay of 637 days in filing this petition, which is nearly two years. This is actually a friendly match where the bureaucrats want the stamp of the Supreme Court and the high court on dismissal of the petition,” the bench said.
The Madras High Court overturned the showcase that had been given to the foundation for developing structures between 2006 and 2014 without allegedly getting the necessary environmental permits, PTI reports.
Justice Surya Kant further told the state’s law officer, “When the state comes belatedly, we become suspicious. We start reading between lines. How can you say a yoga centre is not an educational institution? If they are not going as per plan, then you can challenge the non-compliance but you can’t be allowed to demolish the structure constructed in over a lakh yards. It is not some kind of hutment.”
The top court instructed Tamil Nadu's state advocate general, PS Raman, that the state must guarantee environmental compliance now that the Isha Foundation has built a yoga and meditation centre in the Velliangiri district of Coimbatore.
“Now that a yoga centre has been constructed and you are not saying that it is dangerous, then your concern must be to ensure that all environmental parameters are complied with like sunlight, greenery, sewage treatment plant. You can raise those issues. Everybody is obligated to comply with these norms,” it said.
Appearing on behalf of the Isha Foundation, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi urged the Supreme Court to hear the case after Shivratri because a major event was planned at the centre.
“We have all necessary approvals. They are talking only about environmental clearance. The yoga centre is 80 per cent green. It’s one of the best centres in India,” he said.
The Madras High Court ruled it was correct in its assessment of the Isha Foundation's contention that it is covered by the Centre's notification for an educational centre.
When asked why the delay, Raman stated that the subject was stalled between two state departments.
The bench scheduled the hearing after Shivratri.
