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Taj heritage project against statutory provisions: Jagmohan

Agra June 22. A day after ordering halt to the work on a heritage corridor project near the Taj Mahal, the Tourism and Culture Minister, Jagmohan, today visited the 17th century monument and the Agra Fort, but did not go to the site of the controversial project.

Mr. Jagmohan used the visit to get a first-hand feel of the problems relating to the upkeep of the Taj and the Agra Fort.

Later, addressing a press conference, he said the work on the multi-crore Taj heritage project had been stopped since it was in ``total violation'' of the Ancient Monuments Act and the Environment Act. He said no approval had been sought from any of the authorities concerned and no letter authorising the project had been issued by any Central agency.

He had come to know about the project only after reading about it in a newspaper.

"You cannot interfere in the flow of the river, as this is something fraught with dangerous consequences. In the case of the corridor project, the attempt to divert the flow of the Jamuna could result in the flooding of the Mehtab Bagh across the river from the Taj and the backflow could damage the Taj itself,'' Mr. Jagmohan said. Asked whether this was the opinion of experts, he said it was his personal opinion.

Mr. Jagmohan said all he could say at this stage was that the project was not ``proper and against statutory provisions and as such not sustainable.''

He said the Uttar Pradesh Government had been asked to look into the matter and it had ``very kindly'' ordered stoppage of the work.

When told that the work on the project had been going on in full swing for the past eight months and that the U.P. Chief Secretary, D. S. Bagga, had himself given the green signal when he held a meeting of divisional officials in Agra in August last year, Mr. Jagmohan said he would not like to comment, as the matter concerned the State administration.

— PTI

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