GREEN-AOL 2 LAST

The AOL had refuted the findings, saying the NGT The AOL had refuted the findings, saying the NGTcommittee’s report was "biased, unscientific, lackedcredibility". The NGT had directed the expert committee of seniorscientists and experts from National Environmental EngineeringResearch Institute, IIT, Delhi and other agencies to inspectthe site of the AOL festival site which was held in March. The committee, in its 47-page report, had said that dueto the three-day event, the floodplain has lost "almost allits natural vegetation" like trees, shrubs, tall grasses,aquatic vegetation including water hyacinth which provideshabitat to large number of animals, insects and mud-dwellingorganisms. The green panel on March 9 had refused to prohibit the’World Culture Festival’, held from March 11 to 13, but hadasked AOL to pay a compensation of Rs 5 crore for damagingbiodiversity and aquatic life of Yamuna. PTI SKV AGARC