Today, On 22nd April, The Supreme Court ordered the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to assess the impact of nearby glass industries on the Taj Mahal. This comes as concerns grow about pollution affecting the iconic monument in Uttar Pradesh.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court instructed the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to assess the impact of nearby glass industries on the Taj Mahal in Uttar Pradesh.
A bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan directed NEERI to submit an affidavit outlining the timeline for completing the assessment.
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The court emphasized that all relevant government agencies, including the pollution control board, should assist NEERI in this task.
The bench stated,
“We want to know the extent of pollution caused by these industries. If we find that these industries are causing pollution, we won’t hesitate to order shifting of these units. Some examination has to be made about the extent of pollution,”
The court further instructed the Uttar Pradesh pollution control board to form a team to visit the industries mentioned in the affidavit provided by the state and assess their pollution levels.
The Supreme Court added,
“After completing the study of five industries, the pollution control board shall submit the interim report so that appropriate directions can be issued,”
Previously, the court had expressed dissatisfaction with the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) authority regarding environmental protection measures around the Taj Mahal, questioning whether the preservation of the monument was being treated as a “tamasha” (drama) or a “joke.”
The TTZ encompasses approximately 10,400 square kilometers across the districts of Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, Hathras, and Etah in Uttar Pradesh, as well as Bharatpur district in Rajasthan.
The Supreme Court has been actively monitoring developments in the area to safeguard the Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.