With a view to make the area around Taj Mahal as good as the monument, Supreme Court on Monday directed the Uttar Pradesh Government and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to submit a comprehensive plan for developing the area around Taj.
The plan will include on a priority shifting out a cremation ground situated within 500 metres of the monument. On October 1, an apex court judge wrote about the existence of the crematorium and the need to shift it to an alternate location or converting it to an electric crematorium in the interest of preserving the monument.
This letter by Justice Kurian Joseph came up for hearing before a bench of Justices TS Thakur and CS Nagappan, who ordered the UP Government and ASI to take instructions and report on the feasibility of either shifting the crematorium to another location or using electric and other environment-friendly fuel for burning human bodies. The State will respond by December 14.
In the monitoring of pollution caused to Taj Mahal pending in Supreme Court since 1984, the pollution caused due to crematorium did come up for discussion in 1998 and again in 1999. Suggestions were made to the UP Government by amicus curiae Krishan Mahajan to shift it out but to no avail. But on Monday the State Government appeared more determined to work out a solution to the problem.
In addition, the State also requested the Court for permission to replace the tar roads surrounding Taj Mahal over an area of 30,000 square metres with cobbled roads of granite stones. State Advocate General argued that these stones had a 50-year life, a claim which Court took with a pinch of salt. A look at the photographs annexed with the State’s application revealed the pathetic condition of roads, footpaths situated around Taj.
The bench observed, “What is worrying us is the finesse in doing things. People from all over the world come to see this monument. Your work (of developing the area) should be as good, if not better, than Taj. This monument was built in 17th century with bare hands.”