SC refuses to interfere with HC order quashing TN pollution board's notices against Isha Foundation

The bench said in case of expansion of the Yoga and Meditation Centre, prior nod of competent authority will be taken.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to interfere with an order passed by the Madras High Court, quashing notices of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board against Jaggi Vasudev's Isha Foundation in connection with the construction of buildings in the foothills of Velliangiri mountains, allegedly without prior environmental clearance.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh said that there should not be any coercive action against Isha Foundation's Yoga and Meditation Centre constructed in Velliangiri hills of Coimbatore.

The apex court said Yoga and Meditation Centre will comply with all environmental norms and directions of the pollution control board.

Tamil Nadu’s Advocate General P S Raman said the only apprehension is that the show cause notices, which were quashed by the High Court should not become permanent gate-pass for the institution against any kind of inspection by the concerned state authorities, either on pollution angle or building angle.

“The property is abutting the reserve forest, therefore some ecological issues may have to be addressed at some point of time. We have not gone into the premises after the high court order," he said.

On this, the bench said barring the dismantling of the yoga centre, which has been constructed, if there is requirement of any compliance, then they will do it.

“We will not immediately give any problem to the buildings etc, which have already been put up," Raman said.

The bench said there is no immunity and no exemption from compliance of with the environmental laws. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appeared for Isha Foundation before the bench.

The bench, in its order, approved the view taken by the high court in connection with buildings of the Yoga and Meditation Centre, set up by Isha Foundation, and there should not be any coercive action against the foundation so far as the construction of the building is concerned.

The court disposed of the special leave petition filed by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and clarified that either its order or the high court’s order should not be taken as a precedent for the purpose of regularising any illegal or unauthorised construction in future.

“If there is any need of any expansion in future, the foundation will seek prior sanction of the competent authority,” the bench said in its order.

The pollution board had issued show cause notices against Isha Foundation for carrying out construction at its premises, Coimbatore, between 2006 and 2014.

Isha Foundation had contended that its yoga centre fell under the category of “education” and as per the Centre’s guidelines, prior clearances were not required for the construction of buildings for educational purposes.

The foundation challenged the notice in the Madras High Court. In December 2022, the high court quashed the notices taking cognisance of the Centre’s guidelines. The board moved the apex court after a delay of two years’.

In the previous hearing on February 14, 2025, Raman had argued that now that Isha Foundation had constructed a yoga and meditation centre in Coimbatore district's Velliangiri, the state must ensure that there was environmental compliance.

“What prevented authorities from approaching this court in time? When the State comes belatedly, we become suspicious," the bench had then observed.