Unlockdown Unleases Pollution On Taj Mahal

Iconic Taj Mahal in Agra, which was a tad cleaner during the Corona lockdown, is back to its dusty self after the unlock phase began. With the industries re-starting and the vehicular movement picking pace, Taj and its neighbourhood are surrounded by clouds of dust, soot and poisonous gases.

The Taj Mahal regained a lot of its lost glory and looked pristine during the lockdown. The industrial activity along the Yamuna river had come to a halt and the vehicular movement got greatly reduced. As a result, the air pollution levels too came down. The visibility has improved. However, with the unlock procedures, the industrial activity has resumed.

Agra is the ninth most polluted city in the country and several locals are suffering breathing issues. The growing dust in the air is having a deleterious effect on the health of the people. Locals say that the resumption of the construction activity has increased particulate matter in the air. To add to the woes, a lot of construction activity is on around Taj Mahal.

The officials are admitting that the resumed activity is having a negative effect on the Taj. They say that the government will introduce 100 electric-run buses which would ply in the Taj area to bring down the pollution.