The Supreme Court (SC) has directed iron foundries in Agra to either shift from the ecosensitive area surrounding the historic monument Taj Mahal or immediately start using natural gas as fuel. The iron foundries using cupola furnaces have been identified as the main culprits causing harm to the monument. The SC had issued a similar judgement three years ago, but the foundries had continued operation arguing that a gas-based technology did not exist. The National Metallurgical Laboratory at Jamshedpur, Bihar, subsequently developed the technique.
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