Supreme Court Ruling: Relief for Isha Foundation Over Environmental Compliance Case

The Supreme Court has upheld a Madras High Court decision favoring Isha Foundation, rejecting a Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board notice over alleged environmental violations. The foundation, affiliated with Jaggi Vasudev, operates in Coimbatore and was previously accused of constructing buildings without environmental clearance. Compliance with norms is still required.

In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court has provided relief to the Isha Foundation by upholding a previous Madras High Court ruling that quashed notices from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB). These notices had accused the Foundation of violating environmental norms through their constructions at the foothills of the Velliangiri mountains in Coimbatore.

The bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh, ruled against coercive action towards the foundation's yoga and meditation center but emphasized compliance with environmental standards. The case was highlighted as unique and not setting a precedent for regularizing similar constructions in the future.

The Tamil Nadu government, represented by advocate general P S Raman, expressed that the ruling should not prevent future inspections. The court upheld the state's authority for oversight and underlined the necessity of obtaining prior approval from competent authorities for any future expansions. Meanwhile, Isha Foundation's legal representative, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, argued against frequent inspections.

(With inputs from agencies.)