Karnataka HC Asks Petitioner If He Sent Legal Notice To Discovery Channel To Stop Telecast Of Program On Cauvery Calling Project

A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Ashok S Kinagi of Karnataka High Court has directed Amarnathan to clarify on whether he sent the notices to the channel. Senior advocate Uday Holla appearing for Isha Foundation said three notices were sent to the channel by the petitioner stating if the program was aired it would amount to contempt of court as the matter is pending before the High Court.

The senior counsel pointed that no interim order has been passed by the Court to stay the project.

Amarnathan has filed a petition in the court seeking directions to the Isha foundation to not collect funds from the public for the Cauvery Calling project.

The bench asked Amarnathan whether he had sent the notices to the channel.

He replied saying, "I have not been served with the affidavit filed by the respondent". This was refuted by the Holla.

The bench directed Isha Foundation to once again serve the affidavit to the petitioner and observed that "You cannot mislead channels."

Further during the hearing the court indicated that "Project is on government land. Money was collected from the public saying that it was a government project, only these two issues need to be decided."

It has now posted the matter for further hearing on September 8.

The State Government has clarified that the 'Cauvery Calling' project, proposed by the Isha foundation, is not the project of the state government.

As per the petition, the Foundation is planning to plant 253 crores tree saplings across the 639 kilometer stretch of Cauvery river bank from its birth place Talacauvery to Thiruvarur. The Foundation is said to be collecting Rs. 42 per tree planting from the public. That means it is collecting a whooping sum of Rs 253 X 42 in total of Rs, 10,626 crores , which according to the petitioner is a major scam.