The petition, filed by ST Sivagnanan, a Coimbatore resident, highlights potential environmental damage due to the large-scale celebrations at this ecologically sensitive region of the Western Ghats.
Madras: The Madras High Court has asked the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to submit an urgent report regarding a petition seeking to stop permission for Maha Shivaratri celebrations at the Isha Foundation.
Thousands of devotees are expected to visit the spiritual center throughout the night on February 26, raising concerns over environmental violations.
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The Isha Foundation, a non-profit spiritual organization founded by Jaggi Vasudev, also known as Sadhguru, is located in a mountainous area on the outskirts of Coimbatore city.
The petition, filed by ST Sivagnanan, a Coimbatore resident, highlights potential environmental damage due to the large-scale celebrations at this ecologically sensitive region of the Western Ghats.
The court, led by Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice K Rajasekar, has instructed Additional Advocate General J Ravindran to present the report by Monday, as the event is set to take place on February 26 and 27.
Sivagnanan’s plea requests an interim order to prevent Isha from using loudspeakers at night without proper permissions, as per the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000. He argued that while Isha claims to have a sewage treatment plant, it is insufficient for the amount of waste generated.
He further alleged that Isha does not have the required facilities to manage the sewage from the massive crowd it hosts.
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As evidence, he pointed to a video published on Isha’s official YouTube channel, which, according to him, “demonstrated the overwhelming scale of the event, disregarding the regulations governing sewage management and noise control.”
Sivagnanan also mentioned that, despite previous court orders, Isha
“failed to comply with the law and completely disregards its status as a self-declared educational institution in an ecologically sensitive area with a significant wildlife presence.”
He noted that in 2024, he approached the court over similar issues related to Isha’s sewage discharge and noise pollution. In response, the court had issued an interim order directing authorities to ensure that “no sewage or wastewater would be discharged onto his property.”
However, Sivagnanan stated that
“despite the court’s interim order, the authorities took minimal action to address Isha’s violations.”
Consequently, he has now approached the court again to prevent any further violations during the upcoming celebrations.
Sivagnanan claimed that the Shivaratri festival at Isha features loud music, dance performances, and other celebrations designed to energize visitors.
He acknowledged that “Isha is entitled to celebrate however it chooses, but its celebrations must be legally permissible and considerate of the area’s sensitive ecosystem.”
He also referred to the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) order that directed Isha to comply with noise pollution regulations.
However, according to him, “Isha continued to produce significant noise pollution during the event.”
Expressing concern over environmental damage, he stated that “the district administration’s indifference and the officials’ inaction have allowed Isha to continue its activities without fear.”
This has resulted in “pollution of the land, underground water, and air, ultimately harming the environment, ecosystem, flora, fauna, and local communities without any consideration for the area’s ecological sensitivity.”
Sivagnanan urged authorities to take strict action against Isha for violating pollution norms and requested them “to refrain from granting Isha permission to conduct celebrations due to the violations that have already occurred.”
The petitioner, a 52-year-old resident of Muttathuvayal in Semmedu village of Coimbatore district, owns approximately 20 acres of land in Ikkarai Boluvampatti village, which is next to the 295-acre Isha Yoga Centre. He stated that “over 6,000 people work or reside at the yoga centre, which hosts around 7,000 visitors daily.”
The attendance increases during festivals, with “around 700,000 attendees recorded during the Maha Shivratri festival in 2023.”
According to him, the yoga center lacks adequate facilities to handle the sewage generated during these large gatherings. His lawyer, A Yogeshwaran, argued that “music and dance performances resembling concerts should not be permitted near forested areas.”
Yogeshwaran also emphasized that “the extensive lighting arrangements during the Maha Shivaratri celebrations disrupt local wildlife, particularly elephants.” Additionally, the petitioner mentioned that he had filed a similar writ petition before the 2024 Maha Shivaratri celebrations, which is still pending.
Senior counsel Satish Parasaran, representing the Isha Foundation, rejected the petitioner’s allegations, stating that the plea was filed “just five days before the celebrations for ulterior motives.” He also questioned “the necessity of filing a new writ petition, considering that last year’s case was still pending in court.”
Parasaran argued that “the foundation carries out the Maha Shivaratri celebrations by the orders issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2020.”
Meanwhile, the Additional Advocate General assured the court that all necessary legal and pollution control measures would be followed during the event. He requested additional time until Monday to collect instructions from the relevant authorities and submit a detailed report. The court agreed and adjourned the hearing until then.
Case Title: S T Sivagnanan v The State of Tamil Nadu and Others| WP 5776 of 2025
