Pullution threatening Taj

Taj Mahal, the 17th century mausoleum which has withstood the test of time, retaining its architectural beauty over the ages, is facing a new threat that may tarnish its grandeur forever: pollution.

According to a report submitted by a parliamentary panel, air pollution is turning the Taj Mahal yellow, despite efforts by the government to control air contamination around the poignant 17th century monument and keep it shimmering white.

The Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture said airborne particles were being deposited on the monument's white marble, giving it a yellow tinge.

The monument, deep within the heart of the city of Agra in Uttar Pradesh, was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. It houses their graves and a mosque, as well as several other graves of lesser Mughal royalty.

Authorities have made various attempts in the past to keep the area around the Taj Mahal pollution free, including setting up an air pollution monitoring station in Agra.

But the committee said that while air pollutants such as sulphur dioxide and nitrous oxide gases were generally within permissible limits, "suspended particulate matter" had been recorded at high levels except during the rainy season.

It suggested a clay pack treatment that is non–corrosive and non–abrasive be carried out to remove deposits on the marble.

"The committee recommends that while undertaking any conservation activity at the Taj Mahal, abundant cautions should be taken to retain the original glory of the shimmering white marble used in this," the report said.

The treatment takes about two months and involves caking the domed edifice in mud and letting it dry before washing the clay off. As the mud dries, it absorbs the dirt buildup.

The restoration costs $230,000 and will need to be repeated every two or three years, said P. Dayalan, superintendent of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in Agra, which maintains the monument.

Attracting around 25,000 visitors every day, the monument was completed in 1648 after 17 years of construction by 20,000 workers.

To prevent pollution, visitors must park nearly two miles away and take battery–run buses or horse–drawn carriages to the site.

Taj Mahal was added to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage list in 1983, a list that also includes the Galapagos Islands, the Egyptian Pyramids and the Grand Canyon.