‘Protect Taj for next generation’
NEWDELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Uttar Pradesh government to come up with a comprehensive plan to protect the Taj Mahal for the next 100 years.
A bench led by justice MB Lokur termed the state’s affidavit furnishing details of the present proposal as an “ad hoc” measure and gave it eight weeks to come up with an interim report on its long-term plan to protect the Mughal-era mausoleum.
The state had enumerated the measures it initiated to protect the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) in its affidavit. The TTZ is an area of about 10,400 sq kms spread over the districts of Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, Hathras and Etah in UP and Bharatpur in Rajasthan.
Additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta read out the conservation plan to which the bench said: “What you (ASG) have submitted are ad hoc steps. What is required is a larger and broader perspective of whole scenario. Everybody needs to sit together and come out with ways as to how the monument should be protected for the next generation.”
Mehta said the state has sought a study from the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) for a vision document. “Terms and reference has been set out for the study,” he told the court.
The bench was of the view that SPA should not be hasty in completing its study. However, an interim report should be prepared within the time period fixed by it. It also felt that the government must involve members of the civil society, including experts, to devise a strategy.
As of now, the UP government has proposed to include ban on construction activities within 500 metres of the monument. Only CNG vehicles will ply near Taj and efforts have been made to convert even private vehicles to CNG. All commercial modes of transport are already on CNG, the court was informed. An attempt is being made to supply sufficient electricity to Agra city, discourage use of generator sets and prohibit burning of waste.
The state was on November 20 pulled up for not spelling out its strategy and measures taken to protect the monument. An explanation was also sought from the TTZ authority as to why it was not holding meetings every two months as told. The SC is seized of a PIL filed by environmentalist MC Mehta, who had sought judicial intervention to prevent the monument from getting discoloured due to rising pollution.