Taj Mahal Under Siege: Pollution Battle Fails To Insulate TTZ

Agra, June 17 (TNA) Though a lot of water has flown down the river Yamuna in Agra after the 1993 intervention by the Supreme Court to protect the Taj Mahal and other world heritage sites in the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) the environmental crisis has only worsened over the years.

Diminishing green cover and severely polluted water bodies paint a grim picture of the collective failure to tackle the alarming ecological issues in the eco-sensitive region, spread over 10,480 sq km. “Air and water pollution continue to threaten the Taj Mahal,” say local environmentalists. “The battle against pollution has been lost due to a lack of commitment and willpower at the highest levels of governance.” The effect of the air pollution is now seen in the consistently rising temperatures, adds Eco Club president Pradip.

In 1993, the Supreme Court mandated a series of measures based on a high-powered Dr S Vardarajan committee’s recommendations to combat pollution threatening the Taj Mahal. Despite spending thousands of crores of rupees, the environmental situation in the TTZ remains dire.

Agra’s air quality has deteriorated significantly, with the city performing poorly on the air quality index year after year. Dust levels (SPM and RSPM) and noxious gases in the ambient air pose serious threats to both human health and historical monuments. Despite the city’s participation in the Smart City initiative, the results fail to inspire confidence in achieving eco-equilibrium.

Agra’s green cover has plummeted to less than six percent, far below the national target of 33 percent. The SPM level exceeds 350 micrograms per cubic meter, soaring above 600 in the summer, against a standard of 100 micrograms. The rise in noxious gases is exacerbated by a boom in automobile numbers—from 40,000 in the early 1980s to over a million today in the Agra district alone.

The severely polluted Yamuna River, now virtually dry, is a major pollution source. Social activist Rajiv Gupta of the Lok Swar laments, “The Yamuna's dry bed and polluted waters pose serious threats to historical monuments along its banks. Despite decades of judicial activism and significant investments, Agra remains littered with garbage, and pollution levels threaten both people and monuments.”

Illegal stone mining in the Aravali ranges and malfunctioning sewage treatment plants (STPs) compound the problem. Most of Agra’s sewage is discharged untreated into the Yamuna, further degrading the river’s health. The city’s four treatment plants cannot process all the waste and sewer produced daily.

Though the Supreme Court in 1996 had ordered the planting of trees on Agra’s western periphery to combat dust-laden winds from Rajasthan, greenery has vanished, replaced by tall buildings where community ponds once existed. The unchecked urban sprawl, encroachment on parks, and illegal structures overshadowing historical sites reflect the chaos of unplanned urbanization.

In the 1990s, hopes were high for Agra’s sustainable development. Yet, today’s reality is a stark contrast, with bureaucratic inefficiency and misguided priorities evident in questionable projects at the cost of green cover. Environmentalists warn that the battle against pollution in the TTZ has been lost even before it truly began.

Even with continuous monitoring by the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the environmental situation in the Taj Trapezium Zone remains critical. Activists highlight the dismal state of the Yamuna River in Agra, describing it as virtually dead due to its dry riverbed and heavily polluted waters, which pose serious threats to historical monuments. Over three decades of judicial activism and major policy efforts have failed to alleviate the city's pollution woes. Agra continues to be plagued by mountains of garbage, and severe air and water pollution endangers both public health and tourism.

The Supreme Court's directive to plant rows of trees along the city's western periphery to filter dust-laden winds from Rajasthan has not been implemented. Instead, tall buildings have replaced green spaces and community ponds, with illegal structures overshadowing historical monuments. "Builders and colonizers have seized water bodies for malls and multi-storied buildings, and parks have been encroached upon," complained green activist Devashish Bhattacharya.