Amid environmental concerns raised by many, the high court of Karnataka gave a green light to the Isha Foundation to unveil the 112-foot Adiyogi statue near Bengaluru. The Isha Foundation is the brainchild of and spearheaded by Jagadish Vasudev, famously known as Sadhguru. The statue is a part of the yoga centre that is also being built. Many esteemed guests are scheduled to be present during the unveiling of the statue which was green-lighted by the Karnataka HC.
Karnataka High Court Allows Isha Foundation To Unveil Statue
The bench which was comprised of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Ashok S Kinagi asserted that they were reassured that outside of the land that is required for the yoga centre, no deforestation will take place. They accepted this reassurance and greenlighted the unveiling of the statue.
They also mentioned that the PIL was filed after the date of the unveiling was decided at the convenience of dignitaries like the CM of Karnataka, Basavaraj Bommai. He, too, is scheduled to appear at the unveiling ceremony. The yoga centre, ‘Sadhguru Sannidhi,’ is located in Chikkaballapur, near Bengaluru.
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PIL Was Filed Against The Isha Foundation
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the Isha Foundation was filed by Kyathappa S and others from Chikkaballapur. The PIL raised several important environmental concerns regarding the location of the yoga centre. First, they highlighted that the yoga centre, which is purely a business initiative, was being established in an area that is environmentally sensitive.
Furthermore, the movement of vehicles in the area for and after the construction could damage the ecosystems of the Nandi hills. The PIL also claimed that the 112-foot tall metal statue was assembled overnight and has caused a significant damage to the flora and fauna already.
Moreover, such a massive gathering of people for the inauguration could irreparably damage the environment. The massive gathering is also a concern since COVID-19 cases are on the rise again.
The website of the Isha Foundation also issued a statement saying that the unveiling will happen as scheduled. It did not address the concerns raised in the PIL.
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Cover Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons