MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI A. RAJA)
(a)to(f) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (f) of Lok Sabha Starred
Question No. 379 to be answered on 19th December, 2005 on `Taj Corridor
Project` by Shri Dalpat Singh Parste.
(a)to(c)The matter relating to the Taj Heritage Corridor Project is subjudice in the
Hon`ble Supreme Court. Recently, the Court has set up a Committee for the
purpose of facilitating the rehabilitation of the area which was disturbed by
reason of the constructions made pursuant to the Taj Heritage Corridor
project. The terms of reference of this Committee inter-alia include a report
to be submitted in the matter of
(i) removal of the debris; and
(ii) taking of further steps to ensure that the maximum protection is given
to the environment in and around the Taj, including the cost of removal of
debris and the embankment, if necessary. Further, at the outset, the Committee
is to note the present status of the environment including the steps taken for the
construction of the Taj Heritage Corridor and take an inventory of the debris.
(d) & (e) A Committee constituted by United Nations Educational, Scientific &
Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) - International Council On Monumnets & Sites
(ICOMOS) Joint Monitoring Mission to Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri
had visited India in January, 2004. A summary of Mission recommendations is
enclosed at Annexure.
(f) The Matter relating to the Taj Heritage Corridor Project is subjudice in the
Hon`ble Supreme Court.
Annexure
Annexure referred to in parts (d) & (e) of the Statement enclosed in reply to
Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 379 to be answered on 19th December, 2005
by Shri Dalpat Singh Parste on `Taj Corridor Project.
SUMMARY OF MISSION RECOMMENDATIONS
1.It is essential that the World Heritage protective boundaries and management
guidelines pertaining to the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort be evaluated and possibly
redefined. Note should be taken of recent research which indicates that the original
design of the Taj monument included the Mehtab Bagh and other relocated cultural
properties across the Yamuna River. These constitute an essential part of the whole
area and therefore require integrated protection.
2.Integrate the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort as one protected World Heritage area, to
ensure better management of the property, with a possible inclusion of Fatehpur
Sikri subject to a broader regional planning scheme.
3. At the institutional building level, it is recommended to build a participatory
planning, conservation and management process, involving regular consultations
with different stakeholders involved in the site, and their direct participation in the
site management. It is proposed that a Steering Committee be established, possibly
chaired by the Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, to address the conservation
development of the three World Heritage properties in the Agra district of UP. The
Steering Committee may regularly approve and update a Regional Plan for
Conservation and Development of World Heritage properties in the Agra district.
4.The elaboration of a comprehensive site management plan and its effective
implementation are essential to address the conservation challenge at the site.
The management plan should be developed on the basis of a Regional Plan for
Conservation and Development,
5.The properties would greatly benefit from an improved on-site presentation and
an enhanced visitor management. A new Visitor Centre was seen by the mission,
which noted that the concept proposed by the site management.It is therefore
recommended that a Visitor-Management Plan be elaborated and implemented as
a matter of urgency. This Plan would address current problems, such as upgrading
visitor capacity with a view to economic development, and exploring new initiatives
to reduce tourist pressure.
6.It is essential to identify site monitoring indicators and elaborate on-site
monitoring mechanisms, in order to assess urban development pressure on
protected areas and the areas surrounding them.These mechanisms may use
new information technology systems, such as GIS (Geographical Information
System), to integrate the protection of urban landscape and monitor the state
of conservation of World Heritage properties in the Periodic Report on the
State of Conservation of the properties concerned, which is required to be
submitted to the World Heritage Committee every six years.
