UP to present 'vision document' on Taj Mahal before SC on Thursday
Lucknow, July 23 : The Uttar Pradesh government will be presenting a 'vision document' on the Taj Mahal in Agra before the Supreme Court on Thursday, an official said on Monday.
This document, prepared by the Delhi School of Planning and Architecture, was put together after the apex court came down heavily on the government while hearing a petition filed by environmentalist M.C. Mehta.
Ten days back, the top court made sharp observations on the central and the state governments for not being able to protect the iconic structure.
It asked the Yogi Adityanath government on why industrial activities have picked up pace in the 10,400 sq km Taj Trapezium Zone (TEZ) area comprising Mathura, Agra, Hathras, Etah and Firozabad, created for protection and conservation of the Mughal structure.
The bench also reprimanded the governments saying that the issue called for long-term solutions, not short term and knee-jerk methods.
The state government, through the vision document to be submitted on July 26, plans to apprise the apex court of the efforts being made by it to protect the 17th century monument, which also draws the largest footfall of foreign tourists in the state.
These efforts include making of a rubber check dam to be built at a cost of Rs 300 crore on Yamuna river, the foundation stone of which was laid down by Adityanath in October 2017.
Other than restoration works around Taj Mahal, an orientation centre at the eastern gate and beautification of the Mehtab Bagh are also underway.
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Badlapur accused Akshay Shinde shot dead: Lawyer of minor girls calls it 'killing of justice'
Mumbai (PTI): The gunning down of Badlapur case accused Akshay Shinde on Monday was the "killing of justice", said Asim Sarode, lawyer for the two minor girls he allegedly sexually assaulted.
Shinde was killed near Mumbra Bypass around 6:15pm when he allegedly snatched the gun of a policeman while he was being ferried in a police vehicle as part of a probe into a case registered on the complaint of his former wife.
After he shot and injured an API, another personnel from the escort team fired at him, and he was declared dead by doctors at a nearby hospital.
"While representing the two minor girls, I noticed it was becoming uncomfortable for the local politics of the Thane district and even for the educational institution where Akshay Shinde was working. Shinde's death in such a manner is killing of justice," Sarode told a regional news channel.
"Now, the case of sexual assault of the two minor girls will get sidelined. The case of these two minor girls was becoming difficult for the educational institute, as it is affiliated with a certain political family. Such a practice would lower the confidence of people in police and the judiciary," he claimed.
Sarode said he will be filing a plea before the Bombay High Court demanding thorough inquiry into the firing incident.
"Shinde's case could have brought up certain aspects that would have been negative politically for the government. I wonder how Shinde could access the gun and how he could unlock it when his hands were tied. This is political murder and is absolutely wrong," he said.
