Assess glass industry impact on Taj Mahal: SC to NEERI

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute to conduct an assessment of the nearby glass industries impacting the Taj Mahal in Uttar Pradesh.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan directed NEERI to file an affidavit indicating the timeline for the assessment's completion.

The top court said all government agencies including the pollution control board should assist NEERI in the exercise.

"We want to know the extent of pollution caused by these industries. If we find that these industries are causing pollution, we won't hesitate to order shifting of these units. Some examination has to be made about the extent of pollution," the bench said.

The bench then directed the UP pollution control board to constitute a team for visiting the industries mentioned in the affidavit filed by the state and examine the aspect of pollution from these industries.

"After completing study of five industries, the pollution control board shall submit the interim report so that appropriate directions can be issued," the top court added.

The top court had previously deplored the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) authority on environment protection in and around the Taj Mahal asking it whether the preservation of the iconic monument was a "tamasha" (drama) or a "joke.

TTZ is an area of about 10,400 square kilometer spread over the districts of Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, Hathras and Etah in Uttar Pradesh and Bharatpur district of Rajasthan.

The apex court has been monitoring development in the area to protect the Taj Mahal, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal at Agra.

The ivory white marble mausoleum is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.