Project to beautify Taj Mahal is blocked

The approach by the Uttar Pradesh government to build a barrage across the Yamuna, a kilometre and a half away from the Taj Mahal is stalled between two expert committees of the Union Environment Ministry.

Wherein each committee that include eminent experts, thinks that it's the other panel that should be taking a decision on the future of the proposal, a perusal of the public records of meetings and discussions in the Ministry displays.

While the proposal of the Irrigation Department forecasts the construction of a barrage for securing the foundation of the Taj Mahal, enhancing the water level at Agra, beautifying and navigating the Yamuna at 1.50 km down of the Taj Mahal.

Water for the whole year
Such a storage, especially used in irrigation and hydro-electricity projects, would ensure a minimum quality of water for the entire year. It will also help to recharge the ground water and facilitate navigation through river routes. While the stretch of the Yamuna from Delhi to Allahabad is a National Waterway and the barrage would serve as an alternative to motorised transport and would also aid to enhance a green belt around the pond which would in turn help to develop environment around the Taj Mahal.

Environment Ministry Committee (EAC) hosted a meeting on May 27, where committee members concluded that the project involved the development of a conventional barrage and the components is the proposal basically comes under the jurisdiction of EAC looking after construction of dams/barrages/rivers valley projects, as they have skilled professionals from the relevant fields who can better appraise the project and suggests suitable environmental measures.

Hence the committee suggested passing it back to the EAC (River Valley and HEP).

Environment Ministry Committee | Foundation of the Taj Mahal | Help to develop environment around the Taj Mahal | Project to beautify Taj Mahal is blocked