NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday suggested an amicable settlement between Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev’s Isha Foundation and a Coimbatore resident over a crematorium set up near his house on the city’s outskirts.
Recording the consent of both sides, a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, noted that the foundation was willing to offer a fair market price for petitioner SN Subramanian’s house to enable him to relocate.
The order came on Subramanian’s plea challenging a gasifier crematorium located about 10 metres from his residence. He contended that the area was predominantly tribal, where burial—not cremation—was customary, and argued that local rules barred such facilities near homes or water bodies without panchayat approval.
At Subramanian’s request, the court appointed Justice B Rajendran, a former Madras High Court judge, as mediator.
Counsel Prashant Bhushan and senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi were directed to coordinate with the mediator. The matter is posted for April 17.
Earlier, the Madras High Court had dismissed Subramanian’s petition, holding that the crematorium was built with valid panchayat permission and served a public purpose.