The Agra Development Foundation (ADF), a social organisation involved in environmental causes in Taj city, has moved the Supreme Court, seeking development of a green belt in six hectares of land in Rambagh area here. Foundation secretary, KC Jain, lamented that the area was still lying neglected, showing non-compliance with a 13-year-old order passed by the court.
“On one hand, stress is laid on increasing greenery in Agra -- the epicentre of the ecologically sensitive Taj Trapezium Zone. On the other hand, an order passed by the Supreme Court in 2006 to develop a green belt on the reclaimed six hectares in Rambagh is still waiting to be implemented,” said Jain.
“After stopping of the controversial Taj Heritage Corridor Project and the digging associated with it, two locations had to be reclaimed -- the 20 hectares facing Agra Fort and six hectares in Rambagh -- with green belts being developed there,” he shared.
Jain said that a committee constituted in 2006 had recommended green belt development at both the locations. “The Supreme Court in its order dated February 13, 2006 accepted the recommendation and asked the Archaeological Survey of India to ensure the completion of the task,” he said.
Jain said that after long-drawn efforts, work on creating a green cover on the 20 hectares facing Agra Fort had been initiated but nothing had been done at Rambagh. “The forest cover in Agra is less than 9%, still no attention is paid to Rambagh,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Jain said that after long-drawn efforts, work on creating a green cover on the 20 hectares facing Agra Fort had been initiated but nothing had been done at Rambagh. “The forest cover in Agra is less than 9%, still no attention is paid to Rambagh,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}The foundation has raised this issue through an interlocutory application (IA) filed in an already pending writ petition on conservation of Taj Mahal -- MC Mehta versus Union of India -- before the Supreme Court.
“The IA filed by ADF is to be listed with the listing of this existing writ petition,” said Jain.
President of the foundation, Pooran Dawar, said she was optimistic that the organisation’s efforts would be successful in drawing the attention of the Apex Court to this issue.