Supreme Court halts sealing, demolition of Isha Foundation's Yoga Centre in Coimbatore

In a major relief for Sadhguru’s Isha Foundation, the Supreme Court on Feb 28 restrained the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) from taking coercive action, including sealing or demolishing the organization’s Yoga Centre in the Velliangiri Hills of Coimbatore.

However, the court also underscored the necessity for the Foundation to obtain prior environmental clearances for any future expansions.

A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice N.K. Singh ruled in favor of the Foundation, stating that while the ongoing structure would not face demolition, any future construction must comply with environmental regulations. “It goes without saying that if there is any need for expansion in the future, the Respondent No.1 (Isha Foundation) will seek prior permission of the competent authorities,” the bench noted.

The Court’s ruling also took into account the delay by the TNPCB in challenging a Madras High Court verdict that had earlier favored the Foundation. The High Court had quashed a show cause notice issued to the Foundation for carrying out construction between 2006 and 2014 without securing environmental clearance.

Rejecting the TNPCB’s appeal, the Supreme Court clarified that this decision should not be considered a precedent for legitimizing unauthorized constructions. The court accepted arguments presented by Isha Foundation’s Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who contended that the construction in question had commenced in 1994 — well before the Central government’s Environment Impact Assessment Notification of 2006 came into effect.

The TNPCB had issued a show cause notice to the Foundation on November 19, 2021, citing the absence of mandatory environmental clearance as per the 2006 notification. However, the Foundation argued that its Yoga Centre, which focuses on mental and spiritual development, qualifies as an educational institution and is therefore exempt from the requirement of prior environmental clearance.

Notably, with this ruling, the Court has provided temporary relief to the Foundation while reinforcing the importance of adhering to environmental laws for any future developments.