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This is an archive article published on July 15, 2003

Something’s wrong, says SC, about Taj corridor

The Supreme Court on Monday observed that there appeared to be ‘‘something wrong somewhere’’ in the construction of the ...

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The Supreme Court on Monday observed that there appeared to be ‘‘something wrong somewhere’’ in the construction of the controversial Taj Heritage corridor in Agra.

Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government maintained it had not violated the Supreme Court’s orders of May 1, directing status quo in the project.

When the matter came up for hearing, a bench comprising Justice M B Shah and Justice A R Lakshmanan expressed unhappiness over media reports, wondering how construction could go on despite the May 1 order to maintain status quo and permission only for building of sand embankments.

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‘‘Something is wrong somewhere. Some action is required to be taken in this matter, against whom we do not know.’’ The bench said it would even consider entrusting the inquiry into the entire controversy to the CBI.

The Uttar Pradesh government said it would respond in two days to court commissioner Krishan Mahajan’s application accusing the state of blatantly violating the SC order and spending over Rs 17 crore in a project which hadn’t received any sanction from the authorities.

Meanwhile, the executor of the heritage corridor project, National Project Construction Corporation (NPCC), through additional solicitor general Mukul Rohtagi, said it had spent Rs 40 crore on the project under an agreement with the state government but had not been paid till date.

In his application before the court, Mahajan had said that the state government had betrayed the court’s faith and trust by going ahead with the unapproved heritage corridor project even after the apex court had directed maintenance of status quo.

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He said that the irregularities and the unscrupulous manner in which the project work was carried on would not have been noticed had it not been for a vigilant media which blew the lid off the illegal work.

Mahajan stated that the illegal work could be stopped only at the initiative of Union Minister of Tourism Jagmohan.

‘‘The Uttar Pradesh government has done nothing whatsoever to undo the damage done by it to the Yamuna river bed near the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort (heritage monuments recognised by UNESCO),’’ said Mahajan, appointed by the court as its commissioner on the matter.

He also requested the court to set up a nodal authority headed by the Union Ministry of Tourism and Culture to prepare an action plan for ecological restoration of the Yamuna river bed in Agra.

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He urged the court to examine the records of the state government pertaining to the corridor project, suggesting that the state be asked to deposit the entire cost of ecological restoration of the river bed.

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