Taj Mahal under threat from pollution

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests in its 262nd report, titled “Effects of Pollution on Taj”, said the Archaelogical Survey of India should prepare a holistic and comprehensive action plan for the protection, conservation and preservation of the Taj Mahal to be implemented in a time-bound manner.
 The 32-member Committee chaired by Ashwani Kumar in its 33-page report tabled in Parliament said the ASI has submitted an interim Action Plan for preservation of the Taj. It said this plan should be strictly implemented and a monthly progress report submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change until all actions proposed in the plan have been fully implemented.
 The committee inspected the conservation work being carried out by ASI and was of the view that the repair and conservation work at the Taj Mahal was not satisfactory.
 It also observed that the interiors of the circular rings on the minarets had become dirty and turned blackish. The interiors of the mausoleum, including the chambers of the inner dome and floral panels had become dirty and required scientific cleaning, it added.
 The committee felt that increased vehicular traffic in Agra is becoming a huge source of pollution and is one of the factors adversely affecting the Taj Mahal.
The report said that industrial pollution is yet another major source of pollution in the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) area which is adversely affecting the monumant.
 It recommended that the government should look into the allegation of illegal expansion of factories which were emitting NO2, sulphur and petro coke and did not comply to pollution norms, in violation of the orders of Supreme Court. The committee recommended not only necessary punitive action but preventive measures too against such industries.