Appeal to support wholeheartedly the World Culture Festival at banks of the river Yamuna
The Issue
What you must mentally note and share before your click “SUPPORT”!
1) The Art of Living has not violated any environmental norms.
2) All structures erected at the venue of the ‘World Culture Festival’ including the 7-acre stage, crossover bridges, etc. are ecofriendly temporary structures, which do not cause any harm to the Yamuna or to the eco-system surrounding the river. The Art of Living has already publicly undertaken to dismantle and clear all structures and equipment used in the preparation of the venue for the ‘World Culture Festival’ after it is over.
3) The Art of Living took it as a challenge to go into a very inhospitable and borderline uninhabitable area to conduct an event of this magnitude and to transform it to make it cleaner, greener and healthier. Even the buffaloes have begun to recognize the change!
4) Given the work already undertaken by the Art of Living volunteers (and you can be one of them!) towards cleaning the Yamuna, it is only a matter of a few months until the Yamuna flourishes and is restored to its original glory in the years to come!
5)Lastly, it is a matter of pride for our country to be hosting the single largest peaceful gathering ever and possibly in all times to come!
In its journey of 1376 kms from Yamunotri to Allahabad, approximately 22 kms of the river Yamuna flows through Delhi, India’s capital. Ironically, although the water of Yamuna is of reasonably good quality through its length from Yamunotri in the Himalayas to Wazirabad in Delhi, the discharge of waste water through 15 drains between Wazirabad barrage and Okhla barrage renders the river severely polluted after Wazirabad. One official describes the river as a “sewage drain” with biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) values ranging from 14 to 38 mg/l and high coliform content.
It is a matter of sheer courage for the Art of Living to have taken the initiative to organize the ‘World Culture Festival’ on 11th, 12th and 13th March 2016 along the severely polluted banks of the river Yamuna. For one, 3.5 million people including global leaders, dignitaries and Heads of States are expected to attend the ‘World Culture Festival’ from 155 countries to resolve and pray for world peace. These 3.5 million people are coming to India to honour the diversity that exists in cultures around the world so that they bind us into a One World Family rather than divide us into pieces! There will be blissful meditations, musical performances, traditional dances and life-changing speeches galore! Never before in history, as we know it, have so many “good people” travelled the seven oceans to be together and celebrate their cultures and to honour humanity, which you must admit is the need of the century!
The Art of Living has been at the forefront of rejuvenating and cleaning rivers. Over the last few years, Art of Living volunteers have been working towards reviving 16 rivers across India. Before the Commonwealth Games, over 5000 volunteers worked everyday for 6 weeks, as part of the ‘Meri Dilli Meri Yamuna’ initiative, removing 512 tons of garbage from the Yamuna. To now say that they are damaging the Yamuna “flood plains” by hosting the ‘World Culture Festival’ there is, to say the least, truly ridiculous!
The Art of Living was officially granted permission by the Delhi Development Authority to host the ‘World Culture Festival’ on the Yamuna “flood plains”. If permission had not been granted the event would have been held else where.
In the last twelve months, the Art of Living and its volunteers have overcome the following challenges and undertaken the following preparations to ready the venue for the ‘World Culture Festival’:
1) Over the years the “flood plains” have been used as an illegal dumping ground of construction debris, ‘Malba’. To prepare the grounds for the event the Art of Living cleaned up all the ‘Malba’ from the area. Some wild grass and weeds were removed but not a single tree has been cut. The stage and all other structures are temporary and will be dismantled and removed after the event, returning the area to it’s original, but debris free, state. It is pertinent to note that the “flood plains” which seem to have become the eye of controversy for some, were leveled to begin with. This is attested by the fact that farming, which requires leveled land, was being done in the area. With permission from the Environmental Ministry, the grounds were leveled just enough to allow for people to sit and walk.
2) With 17 drains dumping toxic waste in the Yamuna and creating a thick stench, it would be hard for anyone to stand next to the river for 3 minutes, let alone host a 3 day cultural event. With Heads of States from multiple countries, including the Prime Minister of our country present and attendees from 155 countries, the Art of Living wanted to take this as an opportunity to bring the awareness of the international and national community to the importance of conserving our rivers and keeping the Yamuna clean. Months before the event, over 100,000 Art of Living volunteer households began preparing enzymes to rid the river of its toxicity and foul smell. The enzyme is made from raw kitchen waste like fruit and vegetable peels and takes three months to get ready. It is completely natural and organic in its cleansing action.
3) After two weeks of introducing the enzyme into the Yamuna, the amount of pollutants in the water has decreased visibly. Toxicity has reduced enough that locals have reported a significant reduction in foul smell, to the extent that birds and buffaloes that never ventured near the water, are now entering it. A few days after volunteers started using the enzyme in the Barapullah drain, locals reported that they are able to sleep much better because the stench has significantly reduced. We have also taken samples of water from the Yamuna before and after a few days of enzyme treatment. There is a marked difference in the quality of water.
4) Zero trees have been cut. Only the branches of 4 trees were trimmed so that they don’t block the view.
5) All structures erected at the venue including the 7-acre stage, crossover bridges, etc. are ecofriendly temporary structures, which do not cause any harm to the river or to the eco-system surrounding the river and will be dismantled after the event is over.
It’s not the first time positive change happening in our country has faced speculation. But rather than indulge in rumour mongering, I urge you to look at the facts, possibly even visit the venue if you live in or around Delhi and having done so, support the much needed ‘World Culture Festival’ wholeheartedly for the sake of our generation and the generations to come!
Read more: http://srisriravishankar.org/yamuna-and-the-world-culture-festival/
Petition Closed
The Issue
What you must mentally note and share before your click “SUPPORT”!
1) The Art of Living has not violated any environmental norms.
2) All structures erected at the venue of the ‘World Culture Festival’ including the 7-acre stage, crossover bridges, etc. are ecofriendly temporary structures, which do not cause any harm to the Yamuna or to the eco-system surrounding the river. The Art of Living has already publicly undertaken to dismantle and clear all structures and equipment used in the preparation of the venue for the ‘World Culture Festival’ after it is over.
3) The Art of Living took it as a challenge to go into a very inhospitable and borderline uninhabitable area to conduct an event of this magnitude and to transform it to make it cleaner, greener and healthier. Even the buffaloes have begun to recognize the change!
4) Given the work already undertaken by the Art of Living volunteers (and you can be one of them!) towards cleaning the Yamuna, it is only a matter of a few months until the Yamuna flourishes and is restored to its original glory in the years to come!
5)Lastly, it is a matter of pride for our country to be hosting the single largest peaceful gathering ever and possibly in all times to come!
In its journey of 1376 kms from Yamunotri to Allahabad, approximately 22 kms of the river Yamuna flows through Delhi, India’s capital. Ironically, although the water of Yamuna is of reasonably good quality through its length from Yamunotri in the Himalayas to Wazirabad in Delhi, the discharge of waste water through 15 drains between Wazirabad barrage and Okhla barrage renders the river severely polluted after Wazirabad. One official describes the river as a “sewage drain” with biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) values ranging from 14 to 38 mg/l and high coliform content.
It is a matter of sheer courage for the Art of Living to have taken the initiative to organize the ‘World Culture Festival’ on 11th, 12th and 13th March 2016 along the severely polluted banks of the river Yamuna. For one, 3.5 million people including global leaders, dignitaries and Heads of States are expected to attend the ‘World Culture Festival’ from 155 countries to resolve and pray for world peace. These 3.5 million people are coming to India to honour the diversity that exists in cultures around the world so that they bind us into a One World Family rather than divide us into pieces! There will be blissful meditations, musical performances, traditional dances and life-changing speeches galore! Never before in history, as we know it, have so many “good people” travelled the seven oceans to be together and celebrate their cultures and to honour humanity, which you must admit is the need of the century!
The Art of Living has been at the forefront of rejuvenating and cleaning rivers. Over the last few years, Art of Living volunteers have been working towards reviving 16 rivers across India. Before the Commonwealth Games, over 5000 volunteers worked everyday for 6 weeks, as part of the ‘Meri Dilli Meri Yamuna’ initiative, removing 512 tons of garbage from the Yamuna. To now say that they are damaging the Yamuna “flood plains” by hosting the ‘World Culture Festival’ there is, to say the least, truly ridiculous!
The Art of Living was officially granted permission by the Delhi Development Authority to host the ‘World Culture Festival’ on the Yamuna “flood plains”. If permission had not been granted the event would have been held else where.
In the last twelve months, the Art of Living and its volunteers have overcome the following challenges and undertaken the following preparations to ready the venue for the ‘World Culture Festival’:
1) Over the years the “flood plains” have been used as an illegal dumping ground of construction debris, ‘Malba’. To prepare the grounds for the event the Art of Living cleaned up all the ‘Malba’ from the area. Some wild grass and weeds were removed but not a single tree has been cut. The stage and all other structures are temporary and will be dismantled and removed after the event, returning the area to it’s original, but debris free, state. It is pertinent to note that the “flood plains” which seem to have become the eye of controversy for some, were leveled to begin with. This is attested by the fact that farming, which requires leveled land, was being done in the area. With permission from the Environmental Ministry, the grounds were leveled just enough to allow for people to sit and walk.
2) With 17 drains dumping toxic waste in the Yamuna and creating a thick stench, it would be hard for anyone to stand next to the river for 3 minutes, let alone host a 3 day cultural event. With Heads of States from multiple countries, including the Prime Minister of our country present and attendees from 155 countries, the Art of Living wanted to take this as an opportunity to bring the awareness of the international and national community to the importance of conserving our rivers and keeping the Yamuna clean. Months before the event, over 100,000 Art of Living volunteer households began preparing enzymes to rid the river of its toxicity and foul smell. The enzyme is made from raw kitchen waste like fruit and vegetable peels and takes three months to get ready. It is completely natural and organic in its cleansing action.
3) After two weeks of introducing the enzyme into the Yamuna, the amount of pollutants in the water has decreased visibly. Toxicity has reduced enough that locals have reported a significant reduction in foul smell, to the extent that birds and buffaloes that never ventured near the water, are now entering it. A few days after volunteers started using the enzyme in the Barapullah drain, locals reported that they are able to sleep much better because the stench has significantly reduced. We have also taken samples of water from the Yamuna before and after a few days of enzyme treatment. There is a marked difference in the quality of water.
4) Zero trees have been cut. Only the branches of 4 trees were trimmed so that they don’t block the view.
5) All structures erected at the venue including the 7-acre stage, crossover bridges, etc. are ecofriendly temporary structures, which do not cause any harm to the river or to the eco-system surrounding the river and will be dismantled after the event is over.
It’s not the first time positive change happening in our country has faced speculation. But rather than indulge in rumour mongering, I urge you to look at the facts, possibly even visit the venue if you live in or around Delhi and having done so, support the much needed ‘World Culture Festival’ wholeheartedly for the sake of our generation and the generations to come!
Read more: http://srisriravishankar.org/yamuna-and-the-world-culture-festival/
The Decision Makers
Petition Updates
Share this petition
Petition created on 8 March 2016