NEW DELHI -- As the World Culture Festival kicked off on the banks of the Yamuna amid rains and in the backdrop of a raging controversy over damage to the river's flood plains, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared the event the "kumbh mela of culture" in his opening remarks, to wild cheering from lakhs in the gathering.
But he was silent about the environmental concerns about the event. The Art of Living Foundation, which is led by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, was asked to pay a penalty of Rs5 crore by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for damage to the flood plains.
Instead, Modi made a remark which appeared to be dismissive of the concerns raised by environmentalists and others.
"If we keep criticising everything we have, instead of taking pride in our culture, then why would the world look at us," Modi said.
In the wake of the controversy, President Pranab Mukherjee decided to skip the three-day event, which will be attended by more than three million people from over 150 countries. The weekend will be packed with cultural performances, yoga and meditation sessions. Around 37,000 artists will perform on a mammoth 7-acre stage.
Modi today congratulated Sri Sri Ravi Shankar for promoting India on the global stage.
"I congratulate Sri Sri Ravi Shankar for spreading his message to more than 150 countries and representing Indian culture on a world stage," he said.
Modi also added that India was full of diversity and has a lot to give the world. "We must be proud of our heritage," he said.
Describing the event as "fait accompli," this week, the NGT said that it was too late to stop the event and rued that this issue was not brought to its attention sooner.
"It is sufficiently evident that the flood plains have been drastically tampered with while destroying the natural flow of the river, reeds, grasses, natural vegetation on the river bed have been removed. It has further disturbed the aquatic life of the river and destroyed water bodies and wet lands on the flood plains," the NGT said.
10 Critically Endangered Birds In India
Baer’s Pochard(01 of10)
Open Image ModalThis species is classified as Critically Endangered as it is apparently undergoing a extremely rapid population decline, as measured by numbers on both the breeding and wintering grounds. (Source: http://www.birdlife.org) (credit:MikeLane45 via Getty Images)
Siberian Cranes(02 of10)
Open Image ModalThis critically endangered species is now only found in two populations, the eastern and western. A central population of Siberian Cranes once nested in western Siberia and wintered in India. (Source: www.savingcranes.org) In 2002, the last two Siberian cranes of the central flock failed to return to India. Their winter home, Keoladeo National Park, reeled under a drought and there was no water to house the birds. They were not reported from anywhere else in the country. Two more winters passed, and the birds still did not show up. It is now suspected that they are extinct (Source: http://www.wpsi-india.org). (credit:China Photos via Getty Images)
Spoon-billed Sandpiper(03 of10)
Open Image ModalMost researchers believe that two factors are responsible for the Spoon-billed Sandpipers population decline: the elimination of migratory stopover habitat, particularly in the Yellow Sea region, and subsistence hunting on the wintering grounds. (Source: http://www.birds.cornell.edu) (credit:AP)
Whitebellied-Heron(04 of10)
Open Image ModalWith roughly 200 White-Bellied Herons (Ardea Insignis) in the world today, herons are among the 50 rarest bird species on earth. Herons mostly dwell in Southeast Asian countries and presumably Bhutan shelters a little over 30 herons in the nation. (Source:WWF) (credit:De Agostini Picture Library via Getty Images)
Bengal Florican(05 of10)
Open Image ModalThis bustard has a very small, declining population; a trend that has recently become extremely rapid and is predicted to continue in the near future, largely as a result of the widespread and on-going conversion of its grassland habitat for agriculture. It therefore qualifies as Critically Endangered. (Source: http://www.birdlife.org) (credit:Lip Kee/Flickr)
Great Indian Bustard(06 of10)
Open Image ModalTwo years after the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) talked about launching a special conservation programme for the Great Indian Bustard, a critically endangered species, experts are warning that the bird is in danger of becoming extinct. Lack of funds means the central government has made no progress at all on what many say is a critical matter. (Source: LiveMint March 12, 2015 news report) (credit:Koshyk/Flickr)
Sociable Lapwing(07 of10)
Open Image ModalThis species is listed as Critically Endangered because its population has undergone a very rapid reduction, for reasons that are poorly understood; this decline is projected to continue and increase in the future. (Source: www.birdlife.org) (credit:UNDP in Europe and Central Asia/Flickr)
Forest Owlet(08 of10)
Open Image ModalResearchers have found the critically endangered ‘Forest Owlet’ in the northern part of the Western Ghats, 100 km from Mumbai. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List has named this bird as the one facing a high risk of extinction. Till now, Forest Owlet was known endemic to Satpuda mountain ranges in central India. Its discovery in the Western Ghats has brought new hope about its survival. (Source: The Hindu on Nov 14., 2014) (credit:AndrijaDjuketic via Getty Images)
Indian Vulture(09 of10)
Open Image ModalThis species is classified as Critically Endangered because it has suffered an extremely rapid population decline as a result of mortality from feeding on carcasses of animals treated with the veterinary drug diclofenac. (Source: www.birdlife.org) (credit:STR via Getty Images)
Red headed vulture(10 of10)
Open Image ModalThis species has suffered an extremely rapid population reduction in the recent past which is likely to continue into the near future, probably largely as a result of feeding on carcasses of animals treated with the veterinary drug diclofenac, perhaps in combination with other causes. For this reason it is classified as Critically Endangered. (Source: www.birdlife.org) (credit:Jasperboer via Getty Images)