The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee researchers, in a recent report to the Supreme Court, warned that while the silt, Sludge and Garbage carried in the Yamuna River in Agra can be hazardous to human health, the removal of them puts the stability of the Taj Mahal, nearby bridges and other monuments at risk. This warning was given in an application filed by the Agra Development Foundation that underlined the need to desilt a 20-22 km stretch in Agra. This application continues EA No. 584/1984 for continuous interim orders entered in the writ petition initiated by MC Mehta in the Supreme Court of India.
Some of the large quantities of silt, sludge and garbage lie at about 5-6m below the riverbed and have become a major worry. The pile of waste also releases bad smells, discouraging millions of tourists and instilling the main danger to the Taj Mahal’s structural support. While investigating for their report, the IIT team underlined that it’s ‘not feasible’ to dredge the river at these depths because it can endanger nearby structures – the Taj Mahal and other holy places like Kailash Mandir Ghat.
The IIT study reveals that this issue is compounded by the city discharging raw sewerage from different areas of Agra. About four hundred mega litres of untreated sewage, including solid wastes and plastics, flows into the Yamuna through about ninety surface drains, which also refill the river and decrease its capacity for water retention due to the rise in the river bed. This accumulation hampers the environment with an appalling odour and unsustainable long-term effects.
The Supreme Court, which still has not considered the IIT’s conclusions, set the next hearing for November 8th. Concerning the pollution issue in Yamuna that has for some time now been a growing cause of concern, specialists recommend that pollution within the stream has to be fought; moreover, historical buildings within the stream do have to be cared for with as much attention paid to structural strength.
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