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| Judicial activism has assumed new dimensions in India | | | The judicial activism in India has assumed new dimensions with the Supreme Court expressing deep concern over the changing colours of the World's eighth wonder, the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal was yellow and now turning brown and green, a Supreme Court Bench of Justices Madan B. Lokur and Deepak Gupta found from photographs handed over to them by noted environmental lawyer M.C. Mehta in open court recently. In fact the central Government is worried about the ancient monuments and that is the reason that Dalmias' are given the contract for protection and preservation of the Red Fort. It seems that the BJP led NDA Government is more concerned about the Red Fort wherefrom the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and various former Prime Ministers have been addressing the nation on the Independence Day and the Republic Day. This way the NDA Government seems to be unmoved by the world's seventh wonder the historic Taj Mahal. This is evident from the way Mehta said the upkeep of the UNESCO World Heritage site was in a shambles. River Yamuna, which used to flow nearby, has dried up. Encroachments and industries have cropped up in the neighbourhood of the white marble mausoleum. CCTVs hardly work. The government merely views the Taj as a money-making venture. Addressing the Additional Solicitor General Justice Lokur said that the Government does not care when the Taj requires immediate preservation of renovation.
Looking at the photographs repeatedly, Justice Lokur wondered whether the Taj Mahal in its present discoloured form would end being the "eighth wonder of the world." Justice Lokur asked the government whether it has or not the expertise to conserve the 17th century monument. The Supreme court has expressed surprise whether the Government has the expertise, and in case the Government has it is not utilising it. The Court has urged the government to seek help from international conservation experts, if required, to restore the monument to its pristine glory. The court observed that foreign dignitaries are still given a tour of the Taj Mahal. This would surely mean that the government is interested in its preservation. Nadkarni submitted that the maintenance is done by the Archaeological Survey of India. He said there were also expert bodies like the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), which has worked to preserve an ancient fort in Goa. When the court examined some photographs it voices concern over the lack of will. To preserve the ancient monument which attracts home and foreign tourists.. Justice Lokur asked the government lawyers as to when they had visited the Taj and When they replied that it has been over a decade, Justice Lokur replied, saying "well, you better go and take a look again." ASG Mehta, appearing for Uttar Pradesh, said the State could assure the court that steps to protect and preserve the monument would be accelerated.
Well besides the ancient monument under threat of changing colours the basic infrastructure leading to the gates of the monument is missing. One on visit to the Taj is enraged over the encroachment on the roads by the vendors with the result tourists' cars or taxis seldom travel from these narrow lanes. One has to hire three-wheelers or E-rickshaws to approach the path that leads to the monument. The beauty of the monument lay in the river flowing gracefully down the garden and once the river is dry it has robbed the monument of its inbuilt beauty. It would be better for the Government to hand over the preservation and beautification of the famous monuments to rich business houses and one is certain that these business houses will do many things for the upkeep of the monuments. The Congress is wrong if the Government has handed over preservation and renovation of the Red Fort to Dalmias' and other world famous monuments are keep in the private sector to ensure their preservation and beautification. Despite objections raised by historians environmentalists. |
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