Supreme Court directs ASI to file affidavit on vision document ensuring protection of Taj Mahal from pollution

The Supreme Court has directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to file it’s response by way of an affidavit on a vision document and plan ensuring protection of the Taj Mahal and its surroundings from pollution.

The Bench of Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan passed the order on April 22 on a petition filed by Shri Raman, raising concerns over environmental pollution in the Taj Trapezium Zone, as well as seeking the implementation of a vision document to preserve the Taj Mahal.

The Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) is a trapezoid-shaped area spread over 10,400 sq km of Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, Hathras and Etah districts in Uttar Pradesh, along with Bharatpur district in Rajasthan.

Appearing for the applicant, Senior Advocate Sanjay Upadhyay submitted that the problems arose due to the ineffective functioning of the Taj Trapezium Zone Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority.

He said a holistic approach was needed to mitigate the adverse impacts of pollution in Agra.

Upadhyay apprised the Apex Court on April 22 about the applicant’s passing. However, the Bench noted the importance of the issues raised, including the implementation of a Vision Document directed by an earlier order dated December 8, 2017 to protect the Taj Mahal from pollution.

The Bench further noted that on July 26, 2018, it had recorded the preparation of a Vision Document by the School of Planning and Architecture and the State of Uttar Pradesh, without consultation with ASI, the agency responsible for maintaining the Taj Mahal.

As a result, the Supreme Court directed the State of Uttar Pradesh to produce a copy of the vision document and instructed the Archaeological Survey of India to submit its response on the same within two months.

On July 11, the Apex Court will discuss the implementation of the vision plan, as well as the affidavit filed by ASI.

The applicant was represented by Advocates Sanjay Upadhyay, Saumitra Jaiswal, Gitanjali Sanyal and Surya Gupta.

The application was filed in the case MC Mehta vs Union of India, a writ petition pending since 1984, in which the Court has been issuing various directions from time to time to deal with environmental pollution.