The impasse at Agra reflect poorly on the goverkment's efforts to relocate industries and save the Taj
THAT bringing in political support to
highlight industry vs environmental
issues could be disastrous, should have
dawned on Agra's industrialists and factory owners on September 5.
While their call for an Agra bandh
was only moderately successful with
schools, banks and government offices
remaining open, the intended demonstration at the Taj Mahal turned out to
be a fiasco, with political has-beens
making some mileage from the issue.
Over 50 people were arrested, and
about 100 others injured when a section
of the gathering, pelted stones on the
police who tried to thwart their progress
towards the monument.
The attempt by the Taj Trapezium
Udyog Sangharsh Samiti comprising
industry and factory owners, to generate
popular support fell flat. The Samiti had
been on dharna at an infeisection near
the monument since early S mber.
This chain of events had been iggered
off as the petition seeking a review of the
earlier order of the Supreme Court relocating Agra's industries to Etawah, to
save the Taj from pollution, is due
to come up before a Division Bench
of the Court on September 8.
Speaking to Down To Earth,
Samiti spokespersons state that they
were wrongly being penalised on the
grounds of pollution. They claim that
pollution control equipments, wherever
requir'e-d, have been installed and that
emissions and discharge from factories
and units were well within the specified
limits of the State Pollution Control Boards.
Slimiti members state that due to the
extremely poor power supply, not just
factories and industries, but residential
areas and hundreds of hotels in the city
have installed power generators. "These
two sources account for most of the pollution in the city," states Yashpal
Varma, a Samiti spokesperson. Other
members add that they were against
politicising the issue as the course of the
protest may be charted by those having vested interests.
They claim that a ring road by-passing Agra, would ensure that the 50,000-
odd goods vehicles thai cross the city would not have to do so and pollute
the city.
We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.
Comments are moderated and will be published only after the site moderator’s approval. Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name. Selected comments may also be used in the ‘Letters’ section of the Down To Earth print edition.