Diesel generators raises pollution concerns at Art of Living event

Art of Living may have promised zero environmental degradation because of the three-day World Culture Festival, but the high power consumption for the event will not be without impact.

Art of Living may have promised zero environmental degradation because of the three-day World Culture Festival, but the high power consumption for the event will not be without impact.

Preparation work being carried out for World Cultural Festival event promoted by Art of Living run by Shri Shri Ravi Shankar, on the banks of River Yamuna in New Delhi.(Sushil Kumar/ HT Photo)

The organisers will be drawing power from diesel generators, which have high emissions because of the type of fuel used.

Arrangements have to be made by the organisers on their own as power distribution company, BSES, will not provide power for the event.

Across the world, diesel is recognised as one of the most polluting fuels. Delhi has stage IV diesel, which has high sulphur content and is at least two generations behind the western world.

The Art of Living Foundation did not answer any questions about the power requirement, the number of generators in place to power the event and any care taken to reduce emission.

Hindustan Times had sent a query on Wednesday afternoon. At the time of going to press, no answers were received.

Another concern at the site is that of dust. Delhi’s dry weather combined with the removal of all vegetation from the Yamuna floodplain has helped deteriorate the local air quality in the area.

Dust is the most prominent pollutant in Delhi in summers.

On Thursday, artists who had come to practice at the venue had to cover their mouths and faces because of the dust.

“The wind is making things worse. The rest of the arrangement is very good but if there is so much dust on Friday too, it will be troublesome,” said a singer who didn’t want to be named.

In the areas that have been carpeted, the problem has subsided, but peripheries which have sand will prolong the problem.