(Image source from: India Today)

South Africa-based Gupta family has been slapped with a penalty of Rs 2.5 lakh for scattering waste material in Auli, Uttarakhand where the weddings of their sons were held early this week, an official said on Saturday.

"We have imposed a fine of Rs 2.5 lakh on the Gupta brothers," SP Nautiyal, Executive Officer of the Joshimath municipality, said.

While the Rs 1.5 lakh penalty is for scattering garbage, Rs 1 lakh penalty is for defecating in the open.

A copy of the challan has also been sent to the event management firm, which made arrangements for the weddings, he said.

Besides, the municipality is as well preparing a bill of Rs 8.14 lakh for accumulating the garbage left behind after the weddings that were held amid environmental concerns.

The Gupta brothers have thus far deposited Rs 5.54 lakh with the municipality which also includes Rs 54,000 as of user charges.

After the grand weddings, the Joshimath municipality has up to now collected 306 quintals of waste material from the marriage site with the municipality pressing 3-4 trucks every day to collect the waste. According to officials, they would be able to clean the entire site by Sunday.

                      (Image source from: The Financial Express)

In the meantime, the issue of refund of the Rs 3 crore security deposited by the Gupta brothers with the Chamoli district administration will be decided on July 8 by the Uttarakhand High Court.

As per the high court orders, a group of 13 officials from the Forest Department, the State Pollution Control Board, the Chamoli District Administration, the Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan, the Revenue Department, and the Public Works Department monitored and videographed the wedding.

                      (Image source from: Newzz)

Top officials said they did not come across any harm to the flora and fauna of Auli.

Since the court barred the use of helicopters in Auli, the choppers landed in Ravigram near the Joshimath helipad from where the guests were taken to the wedding venue in cars.

The court had also fixed the number of invitees at 150.

Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Trivendra Singh Rawat and yoga guru Baba Ramdev were among the VIPs (Very Important Persons) who blessed the newlywed couples. A large number of Bollywood stars, including Katrina Kaif, performed at the weddings.

CM Rawat had defended the marriages saying environmental issues were not justified and Auli could be developed as a big tourist destination.

By Sowmya Sangam