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NEW DELHI, Sept 25: The Supreme Court today extended till November 15 the time for Uttar Pradesh Government to come out with a vision document on protecting the Taj Mahal, and asked it to consider declaring a portion of the area surrounding the monu- ment as 'heritage'. A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur, S Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta was informed by the State Government that Delhi-based School of Planning and Architecture, which is preparing the vision document, has sought for extension of time till November 15 to finalise it. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Tushar Mehta, who was appearing for the State Government, told the court that "in-principle" there cannot be any objection in declaring entire Agra as a heritage city but that would have several ramifica- tions. He said it would be diffi- cult to declare entire Agra a heritage city but some portion of it could be brought within its ambit covering sites like Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri and Agra Fort. "If it is difficult for entire city of Agra then some area sur- rounding the Taj Mahal can be declared as heritage," the bench told Mehta. The ASG said the state gov- ernment has sought the assis- tance of Ahmedabad-based Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology on this issue and asked it to prepare a report on it. Advocate Aishwarya Bhati, who was also representing the state, told the bench that even in Ahmedabad, the entire city was not declared as heritage. She said an area of around 5.5 km in Ahmedabad was declared as heritage. Besides seeking extension of time for the vision document, Bhati told the bench that School of Planning and Architecture has asked for three additional experts from the field of water resources, air pollution and a hydrologist to prepare the paper. She suggested the names of institutes from where these experts could be called to assist the school in the work. The bench allowed the request and asked the person in- charge of these three institutes to appoint an expert to assist in the process of preparing vision document. The ASG said that a commu- nication will be sent to the Ahmedabad-based institute so that a final decision on declaring portion of Agra city as heritage could be taken soon. The bench has posted the matter for hearing on November 29. During the hearing, the bench, while referring to media reports, asked as to whether Chandni Chowk in Delhi would be declared as heritage. The State had earlier told the court that they would come out with vision document by October 15. The Centre had earlier told the court that it had communi- cated to the Uttar Pradesh gov- ernment to send a proposal to declare Agra a 'heritage city'. It had also said that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was in the process of preparing a heritage plan for the Taj Mahal which would be filed with the UNESCO in three months. The Apex Court had earlier asked the authorities to take a larger perspective on issues of pollution and green cover while preparing a vision document, saying that there will be no "sec- ond chance" to preserve the Taj Mahal. The top court, while observing that the Taj Mahal would "of course be the centre piece" of the matters to be considered, had said that other issues like vehicular traffic, pollution from the indus- tries operating in the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) and the water level of the Yamuna river, should also be looked into while preparing the vision document. The TTZ is an area of about 10,400 sq km spread over the districts of Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, Hathras and Etah in Uttar Pradesh and the Bharatpur district of Rajasthan. Environmentalist M C Mehta, the petitioner in the case relating to the protection of Taj Mahal, had told the court that green cover in the area has reduced and there were encroachments in and outside the Yamuna flood plains there. He had referred to Apex Court's 1996 order in the case and said several industries have come up in the area, with many of them operating beyond their capacity. The top court, which has been monitoring development in the TTZ area to protect the Taj, had earlier slammed the Centre, Uttar Pradesh Government and TTZ authority for their failure to restore the pristine glory of the Taj Mahal. (PTI) WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2018 (PAGE 16) DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU BEE ENN COLLEGE OF NURSING (A unit of Bee Enn Charitable Trust) CHAK BHALWAL, JAMMU-181122 (ESTD: 2008) INC Approved, Affiliated with University of Jammu (NAAC A+) and Recognized by J&KGovt. V ACANCY ELIGIBILITY Associate Professors M.Sc.(N) in any specialty with 8 years experience including 5 years teaching experience Assistant Professors M.Sc. (N) in Child Health Nursing and Mental Health Nursing with 3 years teaching experience Tutors/Clinical Instructor M.Sc.(N) or B.Sc.(N) and Post Basic B.Sc.(N) with 1year experience FOR FURTHER ENQUIRES CALL: 9796329990/9070225701 Drop your resume on E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.beconursing.org ALUMINIMUM DOOR ALUMINIMUM WINDOWS ALUMINIMUM PARTITIONS STAILNESS STEEL RAILING STAINLESS STEEL GRILL POLY CARBONATE SHEET SHEDS WITH MS FRAME FOR BALCONY, TERRACE & CAR PARKING COVERINGS CALL 7006631551 Taj Mahal protection: SC gives UP time till Nov 15 for vision document

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2018 (PAGE 16) DAILY EXCELSIOR ...epaper.dailyexcelsior.com/epaperpdf/2018/sep/18sep26/page16.pdf · (ASG) Tushar Mehta, who was appearing for the State Government,

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Page 1: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2018 (PAGE 16) DAILY EXCELSIOR ...epaper.dailyexcelsior.com/epaperpdf/2018/sep/18sep26/page16.pdf · (ASG) Tushar Mehta, who was appearing for the State Government,

NEW DELHI, Sept 25:

The Supreme Court todayextended till November 15 thetime for Uttar PradeshGovernment to come out with avision document on protectingthe Taj Mahal, and asked it toconsider declaring a portion ofthe area surrounding the monu-ment as 'heritage'.

A bench of Justices Madan BLokur, S Abdul Nazeer andDeepak Gupta was informed bythe State Government thatDelhi-based School of Planningand Architecture, which ispreparing the vision document,has sought for extension of timetill November 15 to finalise it.

Additional Solicitor General(ASG) Tushar Mehta, who wasappearing for the StateGovernment, told the court that"in-principle" there cannot beany objection in declaring entireAgra as a heritage city but thatwould have several ramifica-tions.

He said it would be diffi-cult to declare entire Agra aheritage city but some portionof it could be brought withinits ambit covering sites like TajMahal, Fatehpur Sikri andAgra Fort.

"If it is difficult for entirecity of Agra then some area sur-rounding the Taj Mahal can bedeclared as heritage," the benchtold Mehta.

The ASG said the state gov-ernment has sought the assis-tance of Ahmedabad-basedCentre for EnvironmentalPlanning and Technology onthis issue and asked it to preparea report on it.

Advocate Aishwarya Bhati,who was also representing thestate, told the bench that even inAhmedabad, the entire city wasnot declared as heritage.

She said an area of around5.5 km in Ahmedabad wasdeclared as heritage.

Besides seeking extension oftime for the vision document,Bhati told the bench that Schoolof Planning and Architecturehas asked for three additionalexperts from the field of waterresources, air pollution and a

hydrologist to prepare the paper.She suggested the names of

institutes from where theseexperts could be called to assistthe school in the work.

The bench allowed therequest and asked the person in-charge of these three institutesto appoint an expert to assist inthe process of preparing visiondocument.

The ASG said that a commu-nication will be sent to theAhmedabad-based institute sothat a final decision on declaringportion of Agra city as heritagecould be taken soon.

The bench has posted thematter for hearing on November29.

During the hearing, thebench, while referring tomedia reports, asked as towhether Chandni Chowk inDelhi would be declared asheritage.

The State had earlier told thecourt that they would come outwith vision document byOctober 15.

The Centre had earlier toldthe court that it had communi-cated to the Uttar Pradesh gov-ernment to send a proposal todeclare Agra a 'heritage city'.

It had also said that theArchaeological Survey of India(ASI) was in the process ofpreparing a heritage plan for theTaj Mahal which would be filedwith the UNESCO in threemonths.

The Apex Court had earlierasked the authorities to take alarger perspective on issues ofpollution and green cover whilepreparing a vision document,saying that there will be no "sec-ond chance" to preserve the TajMahal.

The top court, while observingthat the Taj Mahal would "ofcourse be the centre piece" of thematters to be considered, had saidthat other issues like vehiculartraffic, pollution from the indus-tries operating in the TajTrapezium Zone (TTZ) and thewater level of the Yamuna river,should also be looked into while

preparing the vision document.The TTZ is an area of about

10,400 sq km spread over thedistricts of Agra, Firozabad,Mathura, Hathras and Etah inUttar Pradesh and the Bharatpurdistrict of Rajasthan.

Environmentalist M CMehta, the petitioner in the caserelating to the protection of TajMahal, had told the court thatgreen cover in the area hasreduced and there wereencroachments in and outsidethe Yamuna flood plains there.

He had referred to ApexCourt's 1996 order in the caseand said several industries havecome up in the area, with manyof them operating beyond theircapacity.

The top court, which hasbeen monitoring development inthe TTZ area to protect the Taj,had earlier slammed the Centre,Uttar Pradesh Government andTTZ authority for their failure torestore the pristine glory of theTaj Mahal. (PTI)

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2018 (PAGE 16) DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMUBEE ENN COLLEGE OF NURSING

(A unit of Bee Enn Charitable Trust)CHAK BHALWAL, JAMMU-181122 (ESTD: 2008)

INC Approved, Affiliated with University of Jammu (NAAC A+) and Recognized by J&KGovt.

VACANCY ELIGIBILITYAssociate Professors M.Sc.(N) in any specialty with 8 years

experience including 5 years teaching experience

Assistant Professors M.Sc. (N) in Child Health Nursing and Mental Health Nursing with 3 yearsteaching experience

Tutors/Clinical Instructor M.Sc.(N) or B.Sc.(N) and Post BasicB.Sc.(N) with 1year experience

FOR FURTHER ENQUIRES CALL: 9796329990/9070225701Drop your resume on E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.beconursing.org

ALUMINIMUM DOORALUMINIMUM WINDOWSALUMINIMUM PARTITIONSSTAILNESS STEEL RAILINGSTAINLESS STEEL GRILLPOLY CARBONATE SHEETSHEDS WITH MS FRAME

FOR BALCONY, TERRACE& CAR PARKING

COVERINGSCALL 7006631551

Taj Mahal protection: SC gives UPtime till Nov 15 for vision document