Chennai: The Madras High Court on Friday directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to verify as to whether the rules and regulations are being followed by Isha Foundation during the Mahasivarathi function, scheduled to be held on February 26 in Coimbatore.
The court directed the TNPCB to file a report on February 24.
A division bench comprising Justices S M Sivasubramaniam and K Rajasekar gave the directive and posted to February 24, further hearing of a petition filed by S T Sivagnanan.
The petition was filed by ST Sivagnanan, a resident of Coimbatore. He also sought an interim direction for preventing Isha Foundation from using any loudspeakers during nighttime without mandatory permission under the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules 2000 for the Maha Sivarathri program.
Sivagnanan argued that despite several orders of the court, the Isha Foundation had not taken any steps to comply with the law and operates in complete disregard of the fact that it is a self-avowed educational institution situated in an ecologically sensitive area with significant wildlife presence. He added that in 2024, when he had approached the court aggrieved by Isha’s sewage discharge and noise pollution and the court, through an interim order had directed the authorities to ensure that no sewerage or wastewater is let to him properly.
Sivagnanam argued that despite the court’s interim order, the authorities did little to address the violations committed by Isha. Thus, he approached the court to prevent any such violations by Isha during this year’s celebrations.
He argued that though Isha claimed to have a Sewage Treatment Plant in its premises, it was inadequate compared to the total waste generated. He added that the foundation did not have the necessary treatment facilities to treat the sewage generated when lakhs of people were hosted by them. He also pointed to a video published by the foundation, in its official YouTube channel which showed the staggering scale of the event in disregard to the norms governing sewage management and noise control.
He also submitted that the Sivarathri festival at Isha was an event with music, dance, and other festivities to keep visitors energetic and while Isha was entitled to celebrate however they wanted, it needed to be legally permissible and keeping in mind the sensitive ecosystem around it. He added that though the NGT had directed Isha to ensure compliance with the Noise Pollution Rules, Isha continued to cause severe noise pollution during the event.
Sivagnanan also contended that due to the apathy of the district administration and the lack of action from the officials, Isha was continuing its activities without any fear and polluting the land, underground water and air, and damaging the environment, ecosystem and the flora, fauna and the people of the area without any regard to the eco-sensitivity of the area.
Thus, he sought directions to the authorities to initiate appropriate action against Isha for operating its facilities by violating the pollution norms and to desist from issuing any permission to Isha to conduct the celebrations in light of the violations already committed.
