SC accepts Taj restoration report

The Supreme Court today accepted the report of a committee appointed by it to suggest measures for eco-restoration of the areas surrounding Taj Mahal, in view of the damage caused by the controversial Taj Heritage Corridor project during Mayawati's rule in Uttar Pradesh.

A Bench of Justice Ruma Pal, Justice SB Sinha and Justice SH Kapadia asked the Archaeological Survey of India to come forward with suggestions within two weeks for implementation of the report.

The court, however, did not pass any orders as to who would foot the Rs 42.5-crore bill estimated by the committee for eco-restoration, as it wanted the ASI to first file its response, noting that the organisation also received funds from international agencies for undertaking heritage restoration projects.

ASI counsel ADN Rao submitted that the government would work it out, whether the expenses would be borne by the ministry of culture, the ministry of environment and forests or some other agency.

Earlier, amicus curiae Krishan Mahajan told the court that the report had already been submitted and requested the court to pass appropriate orders.

The committee report had, after conducting a detailed study with the help of satellite imagery of the project area, said undoing the activity undertaken during the project could loosen the soil in the area, making it prone to erosion, "which might have an effect on the Taj that cannot be predicted".

Instead, it suggested that the entire disturbed area be converted into a "dense green belt and rain harvesting system" with minimum construction relating to these activities.

The committee had also recommended shifting the shamshan ghaat (cremation ground), setting up of an electric crematorium and solar lighting on the river fromt adjacent to the Taj.

The panel comprising court commissioner advocate Krishan Mahajan, Central Pollution Control Board scientists RC Trivedi and CS Sharma, Environment and Forest Ministry Additional Director Saroj and ASI superintending archaeologist D Dayalan had concluded that large-scale undoing of the earthwork done under the project "will further create environmental problems".

After analysing project documents, technical reports, records, holding discussions and consultations with river hydrology experts and visiting the sites, the committee opined against large scale removal of debris.

According to the committee, the now-abandoned project covered over 22,50,000 cubic meter of earth filling, 45,000 cubic meter of stone work for embankment and plain concrete cementing work of nearly 2,000 cubic meter.

However, it had recommended against large-scale undoing of the work as it would amount to large scale uprooting of the stabilised soil and necessitate the use of diesel-run machines for several months.

"This will be a self-defeating remedy from an environmental and ecological viewpoint as large scale air, water, noise pollution will inevitably be generated in the immediate vicinity of the protected monuments," the panel had said.

Under the controversial project started during Mayawati's rule in Uttar Pradesh, construction work was undertaken at two stretches - Agra Fort to shamshan ghaat near the Taj and Rambagh to Jagdambaa College.