M C MEHTA TAJ TRAPEZIUM MATTER Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE Judgment of the court was delivered by

(2.) TAJ Mahal - The TAJ - is the "King Emperor" amongst the World Wonders. The TAJ is the final achievement and acme of the Moghut Art. It represents the most refined aesthetic values. It is a fantasy-like grandeur. It is the perfect culmination and artistic interplay of the architects' skill and the jewellers' inspiration. The marble in-lay walls of the TAJ are amongst the most outstanding examples of decorative workmanship. The elegant symmetry of its exterior and the aerial grace of its domes and minarets impress the beholder in a manner never to be forgotten. It stands out as one of the most priceless national monuments, of surpassing beauty and worth, a glorious tribute to man's achievement in Architecture and Engineering.

(3.) ACCORDING to the petitioner, the foundries, chemical/hazardous industries and the refinery at Mathura are the major sources of damage to the Taj. The Sulphur Dioxide emitted by the Mathura Refinery and the industries when combined with Oxygen with the aid of moisture in the atmosphere forms sulphuric acid called "Acid rain" which has a corroding effect on the gleaming white marble. Industrial/Refinery emissions, brick-kilns, vehicular traffic and generator-sets are primarily responsible for polluting the ambient air around Taj Trapezium (TTZ). The petition states that the white marble has yellowed and blackened in places. It is inside the Taj that the decay is more apparent. Yellow pallor pervades the entire monument. In places the yellow hue is magnified by ugly brown and black spots. Fungal deterioration is worst in the inner chamber where the original graves of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal lie. ACCORDING to the petitioner the Taj a monument of international repute is on its way to degradation due to atmosphere pollution and it is imperative that preventive steps are taken and soon. The petitioner has finally sought appropriate directions to the authorities concerned to take immediate steps to stop air pollution in the TTZ and save the Taj.