Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology and the Environment:
Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology and the Environment:
Question: A Parliamentary Standing Committee has made valuable suggestions for restoring the sheen of the Taj Mahal. Discuss.
Recommendations
- The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology and the Environment and Forest headed by MP Ashwani Kumar has indicated that a water body should be formed near the Taj Mahal for restoring its sheen
- Committee has slammed the authorities for not protecting the Taj Mahal
- It has also studied how leather tanneries are harming the monument
- Committee also made recommendations regarding the discharge of untreated sewerage into the river
- It has recommended that steps should be taken for strengthening the management of solid and liquid municipal waste infrastructure
- Committee also recommended that authorities should work towards ensuring there is no dumping of solid or liquid waste from within municipal limits of Agra into Yamuna without the concerned treatment
- Committee also requested civic authorities for taking steps to stop the bathing of animals in the Yamuna and other water bodies around the Taj Mahal
- Taj was losing its sheen due to paucity of water bodies around it
- Panel suggested the construction of an Agra Barrage which will solve the city’s water problems and provide a scenic view of the Taj
- Committee recommends that the survey should be undertaken for mapping sources of water in the Taj Trapezium Zone area at the earliest
Facts and Stats
- Gaseous pollutants such as NOX have crossed the 1996 levels after showing a falling trend till 2002
- NOX levels in 2006 has recorded at 30 units per cubic meter of air against 22 ug/m3 in 1996
- Aside from NOX, 2 other major air pollutants harming Taj include Suspended Particulate Matter and Suspended Particulate Matter
- Underground water level have fallen by 4 metres to 44 metres in a span of 7 years since 2007
- Underground water has also been polluted due to local industry effluent discharge
