Online protest will not help Yamuna: Kapil Mishra -Governance Now

Online protest will not help Yamuna: Kapil Mishra

Delhi water resources and tourism minister says that the World Culture festival has infact made people aware about the situation of Yamuna

Puja Bhattacharjee | March 14, 2016 | New Delhi

#World Culture Festival #Delhi #Yamuna #environment #culture #religion #NGT #kapil mishra #Art of Living #Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Kapil Mishra, water resources and tourism minister, Delhi

Lashing out at some of the detractors of the World Culture festival, organised by the Art of Living (AoL) foundation, Delhi water resources and tourism minister Kapil Mishra has said that nowadays people show their anger only on online platforms. “People who are really concerned about the condition of the river should come forward and take action on ground. Not just post comments online.”

“When I ask these people what they can actually do for the river; no one comes forward with a suggestion,” he says.

A Yamuna activist himself, Mishra says that he is happy that the World Culture festival was organised on the floodplains of Yamuna. “By hosting the festival on the banks of Yamuna more people have been made aware of the need to clean the river,” he says.

“They have recognised the need to protect the river. This is what we need,” he adds. Thousands of people had gathered for the three-day event.

Mishra also pointed out that only temporary structures were erected at the site for the festival.

Though Mishra has welcomed the decision of the national green tribunal, which gave a green signal to the festival, he said that he will clarify his stand on the controversial venue “sometime later”.

In 2010, Mishra had protested against the construction of commonwealth games village on the banks of Yamuna. “The damage caused by the permanent construction in the floodplains is irreversible. Hardly anyone took notice of it [then],” he says.

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