Monday, September 18, 2006
Saving Taj Mahal: Taj Ganj Fears Supreme Court Axe
By Brij Khandelwal
Agra: Taj Ganj residents, a locality around the Taj Mahal here, are passing days in fear as a possible Supreme Court demolition order looms over them, even as they claim to have natural rights to stay and work there.
In a meeting Monday night, residents decided to move Supreme Court before any decision affecting their lives is taken by the court.
"Stones alone cannot constitute heritage. What of the people, their culture and life styles? How can people living for decades and involved in promoting tourism be thrown out?" an angry resident asked. "Our forefathers built Taj and served the royalty. We have natural rights to stay and work from where we are today," another resident of Taj Ganj locality said.
Local MP bollywood star Raj Babbar will lead the movement to focus attention on their plight. Hotel and Restaurant Association president Sandeep Arora, tourism association leader Abhinav Jain, advocate K.D. Sharma and representatives from various political parties attended the meeting Monday.
On Sep 18, the Supreme Court will hear arguments over the Krishna Mahajan committee report, which has recommended a green belt within 200 meters of Taj Mahal and clearing of the structures at southern gate of mausoleum.
Krishna Mahajan, apex court's commissioner on M.C. Mehta's public interest litigation and 2 officials of Central Pollution Control Board, had prepared a comprehensive report on measures to be taken to address security threats and control crowd movement. The report was already submitted.
Failure of the local bodies to implement the recommendations of a report filed with the apex court back in August 1996 has also become a major issue of controversy.
Archaeological Survey of India and Agra Development Authority were asked to regulate construction activities in the area and clear up the southern gate. When action was initiated in this regard, the residents' protest snowballed into a full-fledged political movement, which forced the authorities to stop their work.
Agra: Taj Ganj residents, a locality around the Taj Mahal here, are passing days in fear as a possible Supreme Court demolition order looms over them, even as they claim to have natural rights to stay and work there.
In a meeting Monday night, residents decided to move Supreme Court before any decision affecting their lives is taken by the court.
"Stones alone cannot constitute heritage. What of the people, their culture and life styles? How can people living for decades and involved in promoting tourism be thrown out?" an angry resident asked. "Our forefathers built Taj and served the royalty. We have natural rights to stay and work from where we are today," another resident of Taj Ganj locality said.
Local MP bollywood star Raj Babbar will lead the movement to focus attention on their plight. Hotel and Restaurant Association president Sandeep Arora, tourism association leader Abhinav Jain, advocate K.D. Sharma and representatives from various political parties attended the meeting Monday.
On Sep 18, the Supreme Court will hear arguments over the Krishna Mahajan committee report, which has recommended a green belt within 200 meters of Taj Mahal and clearing of the structures at southern gate of mausoleum.
Krishna Mahajan, apex court's commissioner on M.C. Mehta's public interest litigation and 2 officials of Central Pollution Control Board, had prepared a comprehensive report on measures to be taken to address security threats and control crowd movement. The report was already submitted.
Failure of the local bodies to implement the recommendations of a report filed with the apex court back in August 1996 has also become a major issue of controversy.
Archaeological Survey of India and Agra Development Authority were asked to regulate construction activities in the area and clear up the southern gate. When action was initiated in this regard, the residents' protest snowballed into a full-fledged political movement, which forced the authorities to stop their work.
# posted by mediabhartiwebsolutions @ 6:56 AM 
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