TAJ MAHAL STILL STRUGGLING FOR SURVIVAL

By Brij Khandelwal

Agra June 5 (IANS) 

Despite numerous promises by successive governments, Supreme Court intervention, NGT initiatives and launching of countless number of campaigns to secure Agra and its historical monuments from environmental pollution, the ground reality paints a dismal picture as both nature and men conspire to hasten the process of decadence in this premier Mughal metropolis.

River Yamuna, sick with toxic pollutants is virtually dead. The air quality continues to remain alarming as an increasing number of vehicles spit noxious gases, fumes and harmful emissions. The suspended particulate matter in the ambient air remains higher than the standard for the eco-sensitive Taj Trapezium Zone, spread over 10,400 sq km. The green cover in the district has come down to pathetic 6.71 percent. Compare this with Delhi 35 and Chandigarh 45.

Of the 400 odd community ponds, only a few survive. The irrigation network, an extensive canal system that the British colonialists left behind, is mostly encroached upon. The six tributaries of Yamuna in the district remain choked with garbage and sludge round the year.

Who can deny that Agra, the city of the Taj Mahal and several other architectural wonders which attract lakhs of visitors from all parts of the globe annually, is unfortunately showing no signs of revival.

"The decadent city is urgently in need of focused attention to streamline civic amenities and overhaul its tourism infrastructure," says social activist Shravan Kumar Singh. “When the Mughals ruled, Agra was a mega metro, more developed than London and Paris, according to many European travel writers of the 17th century. The British looked after Agra with care. However after independence the city has been a victim of lobbying and consistent step-motherly treatment,” Singh added.

The residents feel "India's tourist destination number one has suffered as a result of poor political leadership. The city’s economic growth has remained stunted as a result of the pollution war. Promises of developing pollution-free industries including the IT sector have not been kept and the shrinking of opportunities is forcing young graduates to migrate to Delhi and other parts of India. Without adequate economic activities, the city might in future be reduced to a backwater region peopled by retired senior citizens, and the lonely aged couples left to take care of themselves," says president of the Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society, Surendra Sharma.

When the Supreme Court took up the PIL by MC Mehta in 1992, a series of measures based on recommendations of the high powered Dr S Varadrajan committee report were taken. Industries were closed or forced to move out. Uninterrupted power supply was ordered. The Mathura Oil Refinery was told to install hydro cracker unit and use low sulphur crude for processing.

However, the cumulative impact of various measures initiated, were neutralized by massive construction, concretization, denudation, urbanization, and substantial hike in the number of vehicles. The Yamuna Expressway and the Agra Lucknow Expressway resulted in reduction of the green cover and increased road traffic phenomenally.

While the union culture ministry and the apex court discuss the varied hues of the Taj Mahal and the factors that led to colour change, citizens plead for restoring the original heritage city status for Agra.

It is no rocket science calling for involvement of experts to find out why and how the Taj was being disfigured or discoloured. They have destroyed the original landscape and natural balance of the area around the Taj Mahal. The river Yamuna which was the main vital force sustaining the huge monument is reduced to a gutter. Mudpack treatment, development of the artificial park at the rear of the Taj Mahal, and the controversial heritage corridor, and the totally incompetent bureaucratic machinery for its conservation have all collectively impacted the Taj Mahal, opines eminent Mughal historian Prof R Nath.

Locals complain that the city is eternally jammed with traffic chaos obstructing vehicular movement within the city. Tourist vehicles are stranded for hours in traffic jams. A scientific road management system has to be put in place along with widening of the roads and demolition of encroachments, says ex president of the IMA, Dr Harendra Gupta.

Tourists have often described agra as the dirtiest city in the world. The Agra Municipal Corporation has proved unequal to the challenge of rising mounds of dirt. The city does not have a scientific waste disposal plan and the facilities for regular cleanliness are non-existent. An Action Plan to clean up the city on a war footing and maintaining the tempo of cleanliness subsequently is urgently required through institutional arrangements supported by adequate funding, says eco-activist Ranjan Sharma.

The city lacks a proper local bus transport system. The connectivity being poor between different tourist places, tourist are fleeced and cheated by tempo and taxi operators. Decent air conditioned buses should be available for the tourists to enable them to visit all the tourist spots. Locals should also benefit from a regular and streamlined transport system which should be pollution free, comfortable and affordable.

It has been one of the long standing demands of this city that for speedy and scientific development of the city, the Central government should work out some institutional arrangement to ensure there were no conflicting perspectives and action plans. Right now we have the Mission Management Board, the Taj Trapezium Zone Authority, the central and the state pollution control boards, the municipal corporation, the district board and the Agra Development Authority, each with its own set of priorities and levels of accountability, says KC Jain, secretary of the Agra Development Foundation.

TAJ.....THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED MONUMENT IN THE WORLD

The Taj Mahal in Agra is perhaps the world's most photographed monument. Each minute hundreds of cameras click to shoot memorable photographs.

"It's a matter of pride to be photographed with the Taj Mahal," Denis, a tourist from Australia, told IANS.

These days, with almost every one in possession of a mobile or a digital camera, you can see people taking selfies or posing for a group photograph with friends or relatives. Now with the Taj Mahal getting its own Twitter handle and the monument complex equipped with WiFi facility, no one misses the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shoot and share.

The Taj has not lost its charm. It continues to remain the delight of photographers from all over the world. Lonely Planet's 'ultimate travel list' includes the Taj in the top five tourist destinations in the world. The Taj Mahal is annually visited by over six million people. Unofficial figures are 10 million, as children below 15 do not have to purchase a ticket to enter.

Each day hordes of photographers - both amateurs and professionals - shoot pictures of the white marble mausoleum, bringing joy and excitement to those who pose against its backdrop. "Many feel it's a fulfilment of a long-cherished dream," Amit Sishodia of Agra Beats travel agency told IANS.

"It's the architecture, the perspective and the unique backdrop that includes the Yamuna and a whitish skyline that appears to extend to eternity that I find most appealing," city photographer Hemant told IANS.

Ramesh Chandra Khandelwal, 90 plus, Agra's oldest photographer who runs the more than a century old firm of Priya Lal and Sons, said the Taj Mahal will never lose its fascination and awe.

"It is one building with immaculate, Nayaab dimensions, perfect lighting conditions, such variety of angles and contrasts, what else could a photographer want? And if you take into account its history and the romanticism associated with it, who would not like to be photographed with it," Khandelwal told IANS.

Wildlife photographer Lalit Rajora, who began his journey 18 years ago from the Taj Mahal, still cannot delink himself from the grand Mughal monument.

"The grand Taj Mahal, with its enticing beauty, has an eternal fascination for me. Its aesthetic beauty, pristine craftsmenship and grandeur attracts me as a photograph does. As a photographer, when this attraction coverted into an unfading romance and passion is difficult to tell. All I can say is that the Taj, under the seasonal hues of the sky enkindles my soul, gives wings to my imagination and meaning to my expression and creativity," Rajoria waxed eloquent while speaking to IANS.

Vijay Goyal, owner of the Speed Colour Lab, who spent 20-odd years at the Taj Mahal shooting pictures for tourists and VIPs, told IANS: "I recall the statement of a lady tourist long back. She reacted: 'Oh my god, this looks much better than the photograph I saw back home'."

Goyal said the Taj Mahal faces south. "The sun rises from the east on the left and traverses the whole distance to the right (west) providing different contrasts, shades and colours - never a dull moment. Each angle is different, its symmetry and geometry is perfect and flawless. There is a mix of colours - red sand-stone juxtaposed with white marble and a profusion of green vegetation, while the shades of blue and white. Rare is a man-made structure in the world that provides such a spectacular variety and mind you, there is no artificial lighting anywhere as for the Eiffel Tower or many other monuments."

Vishal, a photographer and owner of the Nice Studio, one of Agra's oldest, told IANS: "Every day, every hour, every season is different. The white marble mausoleum reflects nature's varied moods. People see romance and poetry in it. The beauty of the Taj Mahal lies in its totality, not in parts. The framed portrait - like the view from the main entrance - has been compared to a veiled bride. The mystery of the Taj's beauty will never be fully explained. The colours of Jannat have been used to weave intricate patterns and layouts, the fountains, the green shrubs, the natural skyline ...you look at it from any angle, it's a manifestation of beauty and no wonder many say it's a divine monument."

"Even the visitors in their thousands coming daily are part of the Taj Mahal, adding colours and flavours of a cosmopolitan nature, as if the whole world is represented here in a miniscule. The tranquility and the awe that one feels gives it a special status. The Taj is a living and breathing monument, you can feel it," 72-year-old Surendra Sharma, who is associated with the Fine Arts Studio, told IANS.

"Now, of course with advanced technology and camera-fitted mobile phones, everyone is a photographer, but there was a time when with primitive cameras and shooting in black and white, the real essence of photography was brought out and memorable pictures were taken," Sharma addded.

WITH NO CHANGE IN AIR QUALITY, POLLUTION STILL REMAINS A WORRY FOR THE TAJ MAHAL

Agra February 21 (IANS)

Despite a slew of measures taken over the years to insulate the iconic world heritage monument Taj Mahal from the vagaries of nature and human pollution, the parameters of environmental pollution in Agra continue to remain alarming.

Local environmentalists have now demanded a comprehensive review of the action taken so far and a white paper on expenses incurred and results gained. Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society  president Surendra Sharma told IANS “people in Agra have a right to know how much money has been spent in past 30 years on environment and what have been the nett benefits. Our understanding is that the overall situation in Agra region remains much the same. A detailed white paper would help course correction and policy shifts. The Taj Mahal is a world heritage monument and citizens of India must be reassured that all is well.”

A quarter century after the historic Supreme Court intervention in the PIL filed by  eco lawyer MC Mehta to secure the 17^th century monument of love Taj Mahal in Agra, from environmental pollution, conditions remain almost the same, with hardly any discernible change in the eco-sensitive Taj Trapezium Zone.

The air quality has gone worse from being poor, as Agra continued to be among the top polluted cities in India on pollution index chart whole of 2018.

The dust level has gone up and the share of noxious gases in the ambient air dangerously high.  Though a large number of  projects and pollution abatement measures have been announced and partly implemented, the results reflect poorly, even as the city continues to participate in the smart city race.

Neither the pollution standards applicable in eco-sensitive zones have been achieved nor has the city made any progress in extending the green cover. The forest area has in fact come down to a meager six percent or less, against the national target of 33 percent. The suspended particulate matter (SPM) level remains over 350 micrograms per cubic metre, going above 600 in summer, against the 100 microgram standard. The level of noxious gases has continued to rise as a result of automobile explosion. “In the early 1980s when Firozabad was part of Agra district, the number of registered vehicles was only 40,000. But now the number has crossed a million in Agra district alone. Add Firozabad, Mathura and neighbouring Hathras districts, the scenario is frightening,” said green activist Shravan Kumar Singh.

It is strange that despite continuous monitoring by the apex court and the NGT, the overall environmental scenario in the Taj Trapezium Zone, has not shown any positive change. Rather the conditions continue to remain alarming, says River Connect Campaign activist Dr Devashish Bhattacharya. “The river Yamuna is virtually dead in Agra. The dry river-bed, and the highly polluted water that flows down the river pose serious threats to historical monuments along the banks. More than two decades of judicial activism, major policy pronouncements and projects worth millions of rupees, this Taj city remains pock-marked with mounds of garbage. Air and water pollution threaten the health of people and the world famous monuments that is visited by millions of tourists every year,” Bhattacharya adds.

The SPM rises as the river bed runs dry and the Rajasthan desert gradually expands into Uttar Pradesh. In recent years, there has also been large-scale mining in the Aravali ranges, pushing up particulate matter in the air.

In 1993, disposing of a public suit filed by eco-lawyer M.C. Mehta, a Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Kuldip Singh ordered far-reaching structural changes to make the 10,000 sq km eco-sensitive Taj Trapezium Zone safe for heritage monuments in Agra.  The measures to be taken were based on the 20-odd recommendations of a high-powered committee headed by eminent scientist S. Varadarajan.

Heritage conservationist Rajiv Saxena laments “top officials of various departments have collectively played a crude joke on Agra. We neither have water, nor power; the sewage system does not work, community ponds have disappeared; trees have been chopped up; and the Yamuna continues to wail and scream. Nothing has changed, conditions have worsened."

If you move around the city, a strange stink will hit you in the face. “That is because the sewer system doesn’t work efficiently. In old city areas one sees sewer overflowing and untreated waste flowing into municipal drains that open into the river Yamuna. The STPs hardly work. "Against an installed capacity of 154 million litres daily, the three Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) treat not more than 80 MLD (million litres per day) and that too, not sewage but nullah (drain) water."

When the Supreme Court bench in 1996 ordered a series of restrictions and projects to cut down environmental pollution in the Taj Trapezium, there was hope the city would transition to a higher level of sustainable development, but the directionless lethargic bureaucratic machinery is still struggling with a vision document that has to be filed in the Supreme Court next month, said Dr Harendra Gupta, an activist.

Activist Ranjan Sharma adds "the situation is actually worse, going by pollution control board data. The Yamuna is a sewage canal, and increased traffic means heightened air pollution. The recommendations of the S. Varadarajan committee have been forgotten."

The apex court wanted several rows of trees on the western periphery of the city to filter the dust-laden westerlies that blow from Rajasthan. That has not happened and greenery here has all but vanished as tall buildings now stand where community ponds once were. “The builders and colonizers have grabbed all water bodies to build malls and multi storeyed buildings. Parks have been encroached upon. In fact the historical monuments are dwarfed by illegal structures, and no one really bothers,” complained Rahul Raj, a green activist.

Agra was a showpiece of India’s serious intent on waging an environmental war to make monuments breathe freely after the Mathura Oil Refinery raised an alarm in 1978. But the haphazard growth of the urban clusters in the TTZ has created more problems than the resources could address.

Activists are hopeless. They say the war on pollution here is as good as lost. Given that authorities are still to even acknowledge the problem, the question, perhaps, is whether that war ever began.

tAJ...MUD PACK TREATMENT

The mudpack therapy to clean up the Taj Mahal had not yielded desired results and the Taj Mahal continued to look yellowish as "before."

This was stated by members of a team from Mumbai University that participated in the unique three-day international tournament to test the scientific skills and competence level of university students in solving community problems through innovative presentations.

Is the Taj Mahal turning yellow? Will the frequent mudpack therapy by the Archaeological Survey of India help? These were questions that the silver medal winning Indian team, from Mumbai's Somaya College, were asked to answer in their research presentation at the International Scientific Tournament.

Talking to IANS, members of the team Rashmi Thakur, Arushi Pandya, Priyanka Joshi, Neeraja Kolhatkar, Suryakant Nagar, said "currently the government agencies approach the problem using a so called mud pack method which has significant disadvantages. We have proposed new methods for remaining yellow stains and provide long term solutions to the pollution problem."

Our first suggestion is: TiO2-based nano coating to repel U/V rays, reduce accumulation of dirt, with self cleaning photo-induced effects. Titanium Oxide is a cheap material available in India and is both durable and safe for delicate surfaces.

We have suggested that all around the Taj Mahal, buildings of hotels could use modified glass for trapping particulate matter from ambient air.

An artificial lake close to the Taj Mahal could be developed to culture microbes designed to control and absorb sulphur dioxide. Certain bacterias use sulphur as energy source.

The team members in their presentation suggested installation of smog towers in the vicinity. "A single tower could clean up 3.5 billion metres of air."

Finally, the ASI's horticulture department could experiment with artificial trees that soak up CO2, 1000 times more efficiently and there is no requirement of photosynthesis as leaves are coated with resin . The CO2 captured can be stored and recycled. The initial cost is around 20,000 dollars but costs could come down if production increased, members told IANS.

But the most important and urgent requirement was water in the dry river Yamuna at the rear of the Taj Mahal, they added.

THE FORGOTTEN MAHATMA

By Brij Khandelwal

We remember Mahatma Gandhi only on October 2 and January 30. The symbolic spinning of the charkha, recital of bhajans and selling khadi at a discount are the only activities that remind us of him.

For the rest of the year, Gandhi remains a forgotten Mahatma, deified like one of our numerous gods and his teachings reduced to mundane rituals.

Long back, Albert Einstein had said that the coming generation would scarcely believe that a man like him had ever walked the planet earth. Einstein was probably thinking of the very distant future when people might raise their eyebrows in sheer disbelief and ask: "Was there a man like Gandhi in flesh and blood??

Less than 70 years after his death, Gandhi, who preached the gospel of truth and non-violence all his life and strove to liberate India, has become, in his own country and among his own people, a legend and a myth. What Gandhi said or did is mostly forgotten and we are stuck up with symbols like the charkha and khadi.

Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, known as the "Frontier Gandhi" caustically remarked when he visited India in 1969 on the occasion of Gandhi's birth centenary celebrations: "I have come to remind the people of India that they have forgotten the Mahatma."

Horace Alexender rightly asked us to bring Gandhi "down to earth again as a living man among his men, which is what he wanted to be", to strip him of his mahatmaship and look at him, if we can, as plain Mr. Gandhi."

Unlike most leaders anywhere in the world, Gandhi knew how to risk his popularity. Ram Manohar Lohia wrote about Gandhi: "He had a calf, the child of a sacred cow, injected to death in a certain situation; he had a monkey shot, he took Harijans into temples, he refused to attend weddings unless they were inter-caste; he sanctioned divorce, he had a large sum of Rs.55 crore and more given to Pakistan at a time when Hindus held that treasonable; he acted and not alone spoke against property; in brief, he hardly ever missed doing anything that brought danger and calumny to him."

The reason why we, as a nation are still struggling hopelessly is that we have shown more interest in aping the West and adopting Western growth models. The result inevitably is that while we have created "islands of prosperity", the masses continue to exist in vast areas of darkness.

Hypocrisy has become our new religion and falsehood our way of life. We have fatal doses of these in all spheres of our life. Fat pundits stooge on gullible masses; pseudo-leftists and chauvinistic scoundrels run the circus that is our politics. Public and private monopolies sustain the "functioning anarchy" that is our economy. Gandhi had warned us of an ennui that will have overtaken us but we never bothered to create conditions in which life will have some mission and purpose. Little wonder we are overwhelmed by rank passivity and continue to wait for a messiah for our deliverance.

The relevance of Gandhi is now being realized the world over as mankind grapples with one vast problem after another. The schizophrenic despair resulting from obesity in affluent societies and the pangs of chill penury in the underdeveloped countries calls for fresh thinking on Gandhian lines.

The poor countries of the world particularly cannot do without Gandhi, who lit the torch of freedom in the hearts of millions of people all over the world. His understanding of socio-economic problems and his deep insight into human psychology were aimed at liberating the downtrodden from their difficulties.

He made a valuable contribution to politics by his practical application of the non-violent weapons of satyagraha, fasts and strikes, demonstrating how vulnerable modern states which depend on the 'Big Lie' are.

It is a pity that the scope of non-violent movements or peaceful resistance against totalitarian or fascist regimes has not been enlarged. In fact, there has been no fresh thinking on these subjects, although there has been a large-scale proliferation of Gandhian institutes.

Unfortunately an impression has gained ground that the real prestige of a nation is measured not in terms of the wellbeing and prosperity of the people but in relation to the armed might of the state. This is a fallacious argument which needs to be countered. Unless the people of a nation are healthy in mind and body, any amount of stockpiling of arms will not boost its image.

The killer Agra-Lucknow Expressway

36 dead, 222 injured in 402 accidents in three months

Agra April 30 (IANS) In just 90 days, the 302 km long Agra-Lucknow Expressway has taken 36 lives, injuring 222 people in over 400 accidents.

These figures have been culled out of RTI applications filed by Supreme Court lawyer KC Jain.

Talking to IANS, Jain said “the situation was truly alarming. The Yamuna Expressway continues to take a heavy toll of lives with almost a daily accident. But we have not learnt any lessons. Now the new Agra-Lucknow Expressway is killing people, because precautionary measures have not been taken.”

According to the data made available by the UP Expressways Industrial Development Authority, from August 2017 to March 2018 there were 858 accidents resulting in death of 100 people. Between April 2018 and December 2018 there were 1113 accidents with 91 deaths. In 20 months there were 2368 accidents leading to 227 deaths. This is alarming indeed ! Road safety experts are intrigued at the lack of serious interest by concerned authorities to check the number of accidents. “Initially this Expressway was not popular, but now the traffic is shifting from the national highway to the new Expressway, due to traffic jams and road blocks at dozens of points. People boast having covered the distance in less than three hours, not realizing the high risks they take,” commented KC Jain. Each day the ambulance costs and the hospitalization charges incurred by the YEIDA continue to soar, but they are not doing what they should have done by now on top priority, Jain added.

Every quarter around 2.5 lakh vehicles use the Expressway, generating about Rs 18 crores as toll collection each month, but the Authority has not been able to spend money on installing automatic number plate reader cameras and other sensitive equipments every 20 kms to monitor speed violations.

The YEIDA has proposed to install equipments at ten places along the 302 km long Expressway. On the other hand, the 165 km long Yamuna Expressway has such monitoring cameras  at ten places.

TAJ CHANGES COLOUR

THE NATION WANTS TO KNOW….

HAS THE COLOUR OF THE TAJ MAHAL CHANGED

By Brij Khandelwal

Agra June 9 (IANS) 

Has the colour of the Taj Mahal changed from dazzling white to pale yellow or green?

This is the question that everyone from the Supreme Court justices to the ordinary visitor to the 17^th century monument of love has been asking of late. 

The colonies of bacterias that developed in the pores of the rough surface of the Taj Mahal at several points led the apex court to question if the colour was turning green or brown.

To us (the Fair and Lovely colour-conscious variety of Indians) the changing colours of the the Taj Mahal, is a matter of grave concern.

The first question most domestic tourists especially women, ask is "why the sparkling white sheen has turned pale yellow or grey. And why Mughal emperor Shah Jahan did not complete his black Taj Mahal project?"

Did the Taj Mahal look moonlight-washed till some years ago? Even the government bodies and the Supreme Court justices are obsessed with this "white-colour obsession." A committee of experts is presently studying the colour of the Taj Mahal.

Union minister for culture Mahesh Sharma on world environment day, disclosed in Agra that a plan to conduct colour spectography to determine the 'true' colour of the Taj Mahal has been worked out. The report will tell us what was the original colour of the Taj Mahal and how it compares with what is today, he explained. 

Meanwhile, the Archaeological Survey of India continues its controversial beauty-parlour-treatment with Multani Mitti (Fuller's Earth). The compulsory need to whiten through bleaching process, the ageing colour of the Taj Mahal to make it appealing to 'white obsessed' Indians, has made mud-pack therapy a permanent activity. Work has now begun on the dome.

The problem is that they are not addressing the critical issues, like air pollution with an alarming rise in the SPM level and the Yamuna river pollution, responsible for a bunch of problems, laments eminent Mughal historian Prof R Nath. 

Despite numerous promises by successive governments, Supreme Court intervention, NGT initiatives and launching of countless number of campaigns to secure Agra and its historical monuments from environmental pollution, the ground reality paints a dismal picture as both nature and men conspire to hasten the process of decadence in this premier Mughal metropolis.

River Yamuna, sick with toxic pollutants is virtually dead. The air quality continues to remain alarming as an increasing number of vehicles spit noxious gases, fumes and harmful emissions. The suspended particulate matter in the ambient air remains higher than the standard for the eco-sensitive Taj Trapezium Zone, spread over 10,400 sq km. The green cover in the district has come down to pathetic 6.71 percent. Compare this with Delhi 35 and Chandigarh 45.

Of the 400 odd community ponds, only a few survive. The irrigation network, an extensive canal system that the British colonialists left behind, is mostly encroached upon. The six tributaries of Yamuna in the district remain choked with garbage and sludge round the year.

Who can deny that Agra, the city of the Taj Mahal and several other architectural wonders which attract lakhs of visitors from all parts of the globe annually, is unfortunately showing no signs of revival.

"The decadent city is urgently in need of focused attention to streamline civic amenities and overhaul its tourism infrastructure," says social activist Shravan Kumar Singh. “When the Mughals ruled, Agra was a mega metro, more developed than London and Paris, according to many European travel writers of the 17th century. The British looked after Agra with care. However after independence the city has been a victim of lobbying and consistent step-motherly treatment,” Singh added.

When the Supreme Court took up the PIL by MC Mehta in 1992, a series of measures based on recommendations of the high powered Dr S Varadrajan committee report were taken. Industries were closed or forced to move out. Uninterrupted power supply was ordered. The Mathura Oil Refinery was told to install hydro cracker unit and use low sulphur crude for processing.

However, the cumulative impact of various measures initiated, were neutralized by massive construction, concretization, denudation, urbanization, and substantial hike in the number of vehicles. The Yamuna Expressway and the Agra Lucknow Expressway resulted in reduction of the green cover and increased road traffic phenomenally.

While the union culture ministry and the apex court discuss the varied hues of the Taj Mahal and the factors that led to colour change, citizens plead for restoring the original heritage city status for Agra.

It is no rocket science calling for involvement of experts to find out why and how the Taj was being disfigured or discoloured. They have destroyed the original landscape and natural balance of the area around the Taj Mahal. The river Yamuna which was the main vital force sustaining the huge monument is reduced to a gutter. Mudpack treatment, development of the artificial park at the rear of the Taj Mahal, and the controversial heritage corridor, and the totally incompetent bureaucratic machinery for its conservation have all collectively impacted the Taj Mahal, opines eminent Mughal historian Prof R Nath.