New Delhi: IIT experts have warned the Supreme Court that removing silt, sludge and garbage from the Yamuna River might harm the structural stability of the Taj Mahal and adjacent structures.
The report from the IIT team, which was submitted last week, was in response to a petition presented to the Supreme Court by the Agra Development Foundation. The petition highlighted the necessity of desilting the Yamuna riverbed along a stretch of 20 to 22 kilometres in Agra.
The team consisting of two members from IIT Roorkee, following their field inspections and site visits in Agra, determined that the removal of silt, waste, and sludge from the riverbed was not feasible. The report stated, “Given the proximity of significant religious sites like Kailash Mandir Ghat and important monuments such as the Taj Mahal to the banks of the Yamuna, dredging the riverbed to a depth of 5 to 6 meters could adversely affect the structural and foundational integrity of these landmarks.”
