SC pulls up ASI for failing to take steps to protect Taj Mahal

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday came down heavily on the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) for its failure to take appropriate steps to protect and preserve the iconic Taj Mahal.

The apex court also expressed concern over Taj Mahal being infected by insects and asked the authorities, including the ASI, what steps they have taken to prevent this.

“This situation would not have arisen if the ASI had done its job. We are surprised at the way the ASI is defending itself. You (Centre) please consider if the ASI is needed there or not,” a bench of Justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta told Additional Solicitor General ANS Nadkarni, who was appearing for the Centre.

Meanwhile, Mr. Nadkarni told the bench that the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) was considering the apex court’s suggestion to appoint international experts to look into the issue of protection and preservation of the Taj Mahal.

The counsel for ASI told the court that the problem of insects was due to stagnation of water of river Yamuna.

In March this year, the apex court had asked the Uttar Pradesh government to place before it a draft of vision document on protection and preservation of the Taj and the environment in the Taj Trapezium Zone, which 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 in Rajasthan.