Madras HC Rejects Plea Against Mahashivratri Celebrations At Isha In Coimbatore

The Madras High Court on Monday rejected a petition that sought to prevent the Isha Foundation in Coimbatore from holding its Mahashivratri celebrations.

The petition, filed by S.T. Sivagnanan, urged the authorities to take action against the foundation for allegedly operating without adequate sewage treatment facilities, discharging untreated sewage, and causing noise pollution.

Sivagnanan also requested that the Court prevent the foundation from conducting the Mahashivratri event scheduled for February 26 & 27, citing alleged violations during last year’s event.

Last week, the Court had directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to inspect the Isha Foundation’s operations during the Mahashivratri celebrations and verify whether they were complying with environmental regulations.

In response, the TNPCB submitted a report to the Court stating that the foundation had sufficient sewage treatment facilities in place to handle the waste generated during the event.

R. Kannan, the Member Secretary of TNPCB, affirmed in his counter-affidavit that the Isha Foundation had made provisions to manage sewage, noise, and other environmental factors effectively. He confirmed that the ambient noise levels during the celebrations were within the permissible limits set by the Board.

Kannan also noted that the venue’s seating capacity was limited to 60,000 people, and no public complaints regarding air, water, or noise pollution had been received. He further clarified that the foundation adhered to the prescribed Noise Pollution Rules during the event.

Given these findings, a division bench of Justices S. M. Subramaniam and K. Rajasekar dismissed the petition, allowing the Mahashivratri celebrations to proceed as scheduled.

In conclusion, the Court ruled that the Isha Foundation had complied with the necessary environmental regulations and dismissed the petition, clearing the way for the celebrations to take place without any hindrance.

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