HC dismisses plea against Mahasivarathri celebrations at Isha in Coimbatore

The Madras High Court on Monday dismissed a petition seeking direction to authorities concerned from granting permission to conduct Mahasivarathri celebrations at Isha Foundation in Coimbatore. Petitioner S T Sivagnanan had sought a direction to the authorities to initiate appropriate action against Isha Foundation for allegedly operating its facilities without adequate sewage treatment facilities, discharging untreated sewage, for causing severe noise pollution and desist from issuing any permission for conducting the Mahasivarathri function on February 26 and 27 in light of alleged violations committed last year.

The Court had last week directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to verify as to whether the rules and regulations are being followed by the foundation during Mahasivrathri celebrations.

TNPCB on Monday informed HC that Isha Foundation has adequate treatment facility to handle the sewage generated.


R Kannan, member secretary, TNPCB stated this in his counter affidavit filed in response to the petition filed by Sivagnanan .

Kannan submitted that Isha Foundation has provided adequate treatment facilities and the standard of the Ambient Noise Level was within the standards prescribed by the Board. In the premises of the Isha Foundation, seating capacity was only 60,000.

He said no complaint petition has been received from the public regarding air, water and noise pollution. This yoga center has necessary infrastructure facilities to handle solid, liquid and noise pollution during Mahasivarathiri function. The Isha Foundation has also followed Noise Rules, he added.

Following this, a division bench comprising Justices S M Subramaniam and K Rajasekar dismissed the petition filed by Sivagnanan.