E-Paper
A sigh of relief for those running business around Taj Mahal
AGRA Those running business activities in areas located within 500-metre radius from the walls of the Taj Mahal had a sigh of relief after the Supreme Court on Wednesday (November 9) pulled up the Agra Development Authority (ADA) for not conducting any survey on the environmental impact of business activities near the monument and stayed the operation of notices served for closure of all business activities along the wall of the 17th century edifice
AGRA Those running business activities in areas located within 500-metre radius from the walls of the Taj Mahal had a sigh of relief after the Supreme Court on Wednesday (November 9) pulled up the Agra Development Authority (ADA) for not conducting any survey on the environmental impact of business activities near the monument and stayed the operation of notices served for closure of all business activities along the wall of the 17th century edifice.
Earlier, the ADA had issued notice for closure of business activities within 500-metre from the wall of the Taj in compliance with the apex court order released on September 26 this year.
“We welcome the order passed by the Supreme Court on Wednesday while disposing of our interlocutory application (IA). The apex court appreciated the correct facts stated before it by the petitioners and ordered Agra Development Authority to withdraw the notices issued for closure of business activities within 500 meters radius from the wall of Taj Mahal,” said Shailini Sharma, the lawyer and president, Tajganj Welfare Foundation, the petitioner.
“The Supreme Court appreciated our concerns in regard to the order dated September 26 by the court which came in different IA filed on behalf of 71 shopkeepers allocated shops within 500-metre radius of the Taj Mahal. The court ordered ADA to have a survey conducted by qualified agency like National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to identify those affecting the Taj Mahal,” Sharma said.
“The order by Supreme Court on Wednesday has brought relief for residents, hotel owners and shopkeepers who lived in anxiety ever since in compliance with the September 26, 2022, order of the SC the ADA issued notices for closure of business activities. The order by the Apex court on Wednesday is a lesson for the ADA which failed to assess the agonies of residents in the area around Taj Mahal,” said Sandeep Arora, the secretary, “Hamari Dharohar – one of the two petitioners of the interlocutory application moved before the Supreme Court.
Earlier, the ADA had set a deadline of October 17, 2022 to close down all business activities within 500-metre radius of the Taj Mahal in compliance with the September 26 SC order. Notices were served on shopkeepers by ADA for ensuring closure by October17.
However, on October 22, the district administration extended the deadline to January 17, 2023. Meanwhile, the affected shopkeepers, hoteliers and emporium owners under the umbrella organisation Tajganj Welfare Foundation and “Hamari Dharohar” filed the interlocutory application.
