Consider experts for Taj upkeep: SC
LOSS OF HERITAGE Concerned over the monument losing its original colour, court asks Centre and UP to take steps for restoration
NEWDELHI: Concerned over the Taj Mahal in Agra changing colour and losing its lustre, the Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government to consider hiring foreign experts to restore the glory of the Mughal-era monument.
The court also suggested that the two law officers representing the state and central governments visit the Taj.
A bench of justice MB Lokur and justice Deepak Gupta saw photographs of the monument placed before it by advocate MC Mehta and said, “It [colour of the marble] was first becoming yellow. Now it seems to be green and black.”
Mehta had in 1984 filed his petition drawing the court’s attention to the deterioration of the Taj Mahal. Since then, the court has been monitoring developments in the area to protect the historic monument built by Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, in the memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, in 1631. The mausoleum is a Unesco World Heritage Site.
“It appears that you do not have the expertise or you have (it) but do not want to utilise it, or you do not care about it [the Taj]. Every state dignitary visiting the country is made to visit Taj,” the bench told two central government officers who were present during the hearing.
The court also expressed dismay at what it saw as the reluctance of the state and the central governments to deal with the issue, leaving the court to take all the decisions.
“There may be a time that there will be no judicial will to deal with this,” the bench said .
Additional solicitor general (ASG) Tushar Mehta was representing Uttar Pradesh while ASG AS Nadkarni was present for the Centre.
The court asked the law officers when they last visited the Taj. Both said they had last been there a decade ago. At this, the court suggested they go to Agra.
“You all appear to be helpless. Money should not be the consideration. We might order you to hire experts from within India or abroad. We need to save it [the Taj],” the bench told the law officers, giving them a week to come back with their response.
The court will next hear the matter on May 9.
In his fresh application, Mehta alleged that because of water and air pollution, an insect had started feeding on the boundary walls of the Taj. He showed photographs to highlight the pollution in the Yamuna river flowing near the monument.
According to him, the drains around the site are clogged and industries continue to operate in close proximity to the monument, in violation of the top court’s 1996 order that ordered their closure.