The Art Of Living foundation's World Culture Festival on the banks of Yamuna had been surrounded by a controversy involving environmentalists and activists accusing the organisers of flouting environment norms, and the National Green Tribunal slapping a five crore fine on them.

But while the organisers claimed that a thousand volunteers will clean up the event attended by lakhs of people from across the world, a report in The Quint said that these volunteers were nowhere to be found, as rag-pickers and contractors were seen collecting the garbage left in the wake of the extravaganza.

While Sri Sri and spokespersons of the foundation said that thousand volunteers would return to help clean the venue, only 30 rag pickers were seen cleaning the mess, as trash was found in the river and farms around it.