Following Agra Commissioner B.M. Meena’s strict directions to the National Projects Construction Corporation (NPCC) to obtain ‘no objection certificates’ from all departments, including UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), the disputed Heritage Corridor Project involving large-scale excavation of the Yamuna sand has come to a standstill.The Commissioner decided to visit the site when he received complaints of illegal encroachments in the Yamuna river by NPCC from the social organisations and engineers of Agra Development Authorities (ADA). Previously, the ADA engineers were denied the project report by the NPCC officials claiming that the local authorities need not interfere as the constructions were being executed under Supreme Court directions, though no such order from the apex court was shown.Asked to provide the project report by the Commissioner, who is also the chairman of ADA, on his visit to the site, NPCC Engineer A.R. Arora said the detailed report was not available. He informed officials that this project has been studied by the I.I.T. Rourkee on whether Yamuna’s safety is at stake, but he could not provide any further details.The Commissioner has asked the engineers to immediately submit royalty for the sand dug out by the agency. He instructed the engineers to immediately submit the detailed project report in his office and organise a workshop for the people of Agra to enlighten them.
