Look into larger perspective while dealing with Taj: SC
New Delhi, Aug 28 : "If Taj Mahal goes, you will not get a second chance," the Supreme Court said on Tuesday while urging the authorities to see the larger perspective while dealing with the issue of the monument's protection in Agra.
A bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur, Justice S. Abdul Nazeer and Justice Deepak Gupta asked the authorities to prepare a Vision Document on protection and preservation of the Taj taking into account suggestion of experts and issues like pollution in the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ).
TTZ is an area of about 10,400 sq km spread over the districts of Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, Hathras and Etah in Uttar Pradesh and Bharatpur district of Rajasthan.
The court asked Meenakshi Dhote of Delhi's School of Architecture and project coordinator of the Vision Document to "go slowly but steadily" and prepare the document "keeping the larger picture in mind along with suggestions of experts".
The bench asked Dhote to inform the court if she faced any problems.
The court also asked environmentalist M.C. Mehta, the petitioner, to give his suggestion within a week.
During the hearing, the Centre told the court that it had communicated to the Uttar Pradesh government to send a proposal to declare Agra as a heritage city.
The Centre also told the court that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was in the process of preparing a heritage plan for the 17th century Taj Mahal and it would be filed with the UNESCO within three months.
The bench asked the Uttar Pradesh government to keep in mind the pollution level, condition of Yamuna river, restaurants and hotels and industries in the TTZ area.
"How many industries are there? Several things have come up. Are you looking into it? You have to see what's the damage done by restaurants, hotels and whether to continue them or not."
Dhote said they were given an incorrect list of industries.
At this, the bench remarked: "See, you (Uttar Pradesh government) gave wrong information. So draft vision document is not correct. We are concerned about this."
Recently, the Uttar Pradesh government submitted its first draft report of its Vision Document on protection and preservation of the Taj to the court, suggesting that the entire Taj Mahal precinct should be declared a no-plastic zone and all polluting industries in the region must be closed.
It suggested that the use of bottled water inside the monument should be prohibited.
For not being able to protect the iconic Taj, which is turning yellow, the bench had even asked the Centre and Uttar Pradesh governments to "shut it down" or "demolish or restore" the Mughal structure.
The court has been hearing a plea filed by M.C. Mehta seeking protection of the Taj from the ill-effects of polluting gases and deforestation in and around the area.
The bench has posted the matter for further hearing on September 25.
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Chhattisgarh: Scheduled Caste pastor’s burial blocked by villagers, son moves Supreme Court
Bastar: A farmer in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region has been unable to bury his father for the past 12 days due to opposition from villagers. The deceased, Subhash Baghel, a pastor from a Scheduled Caste (SC) community, had wished to be buried alongside his relatives in the village graveyard in Chhindawada. However, some residents opposed the burial, citing the family’s conversion to Christianity.
Ramesh Baghel, the pastor’s son, initially moved the Chhattisgarh High Court for permission to carry out the burial, but his plea was rejected on January 9, with the court citing potential law and order concerns. Following the setback, Baghel approached the Supreme Court, which has now sought a response from the state government by Monday.
“This is a clear case of religious discrimination,” said lawyer and human rights activist Degree Prasad Chouhan, who is assisting Baghel. He highlighted the increasing instances of discrimination against Christians in the Bastar region, particularly after the introduction of the Chhattisgarh Panchayat Provisions (Extension of the Scheduled) Rules, 2021.
Baghel recounted the challenges his family has faced over the past two years, alleging that a political group has been inciting villagers to socially boycott Christians. “We have been denied work, my shop has been boycotted, and now we are not even allowed to bury our loved ones,” he said.
Despite the fact that Baghel’s grandfather and other relatives are buried in the same graveyard, the High Court suggested that the family use a Christian burial ground located 20–25 km away in Karkapal to avoid unrest. Baghel has also accused local police of siding with the villagers, further complicating the situation.
