NE NEWS SERVICE
COIMBATORE, DEC 14
TheMadras High Court on Wednesday ruled that Isha Foundation is an educational institution as runs a Yoga Centre and group development activities.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice T Raja and Justice D Krishnakumar stated that since Jaggi Vasudev’s Isha foundation undertakes group development activities and runs a Yoga Centre, it will be considered an educational institute and will therefore, be entitled to the exemption granted by the Central government from seeking prior environmental clearance for construction activities.
The bench, therefore, allowed a petition filed by the Isha Foundation and quashed a show cause notice that the Tamil Nadu government had issued on November 19, 2021 to the Foundation alleging breach of environmental norms in the construction of its Coimbatore campus.
“When the fourth respondent (TN Pollution Control Board) has admitted that the construction undertaken is for group development/yoga centre, a careful reading of the Union government’s Office Memorandum shows that yoga centre comes within the definition of educational institutions and it comes within the exemption. The petitioner is therefore, excluded from getting prior sanction as per the December 22, 2014 notification,” the Court said.
Isha Foundation had approached the Madras High Court, with respect to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) notification to clarify Yoga institutes’ categorisation under educational institution thus exempting environmental clearance.
The Union Government clarified that the definition of an educational institution includes Isha Foundation’s activities and that the EIA notification was never applicable to Educational Institutions. On this clarification, Madras High Court quashed a show cause notice issued on the basis of an erroneous interpretation of the law.
Senior counsel Satish Parasaran appeared for Isha Foundation.
Isha Foundation has always been committed to protecting the Environment and being compliant with all applicable laws.
