The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the Centre to respond to the plea of an activist alleging that large scale burning of municipal solid waste is turning the Taj Mahal yellow.
The notice was sent by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar to the Ministry of Environment & Forests, Ministry of Urban Development, Uttar Pradesh government and Central Pollution Control Board.
The tribunal has also restrained civic authorities from burning municipal solid waste in the areas around the Taj Trapezium Zone.
The plea was filed by DK Joshi, who cited a research study to claimed that “brown and black carbons along with dust” is responsible for the yellow tinge on the monument.
Joshi’s plea asserts that Agra civic bodies are ruthlessly violating Solid Waste Management Rules. Besides plastic waste, over 2000 metric tonnes of solid waste is being dumped in the city each day, he alleges.
The plea also claims that canals in the city have turned into sewer lines which falls into the Yamuna.
(With agency inputs)
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