Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih, who were visibly displeased, questioned the request.
NEW DELHI: On Friday (13th Sept), the Supreme Court dismissed a petition to designate Agra city in Uttar Pradesh as a World Heritage Site.
Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih, who were visibly displeased, questioned the request.
“How can a city be designated as a World Heritage Site? You need to demonstrate where the provision for such a declaration exists. What benefits would declaring the city as a World Heritage Site bring? Will it lead to a cleaner city? You have not provided any evidence of how this would benefit Agra. We cannot act on this!” Justice Oka stated.
The Bench was reviewing an application within a series of petitions concerning environmental clearances for development projects near the Taj Mahal in Agra.
During the hearing, the bench questioned the counsel about the benefits of designating Agra as a heritage city and the legal provisions for such a declaration.
The counsel argued that Agra, with its 1,000-year history and numerous historic monuments, should be declared a heritage city to aid preservation. The bench, however, wondered if this declaration would make any tangible difference to Agra, such as improving cleanliness. They cautioned that without clear benefits, the move could be pointless.
The counsel responded that declaring Agra a heritage city would enhance tourism, create jobs, and preserve the city’s historic areas. Justice Oka remarked that simply designating a city as a “smart city” did not necessarily bring about significant improvements.
World Heritage Sites are landmarks or areas recognized by UNESCO for their cultural, historical, or scientific importance.
