‘Shifting cremation ground near Taj may lead to unrest’

The UP government on Monday informed the Supreme Court that shifting the crematorium in Agra near the Taj Mahal in one go will result in turmoil and may create serious law and order problem in the state which is to face Assembly polls in 2017.

UP advocate-general Vijay Bahadur Singh, made this submission before a bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur and Justice C. Nagappan that had issued notice to the Agra administration seeking its response on shifting a cremation ground close to the Taj Mahal monument as suggested by a sitting judge of the apex court Kurian Joseph.

The state said, “Shiting the crematorium from the present site in one go may spark off demonstrations and create a serious law and order situation not only in Agra but in different parts of India.”

It assured the court that a green cremation system will be introduced by which emission will be reduced drastically.

Taking note of this submission, the bench asked the state government, Agra administration and the Central Pollution Control board to submit a comprehensive scheme for development of the area with greenery and by improving the facilities in and around the cremation site.

It said charges may be waived from January 1, 2016 in the present electric cremation ground adjacent to the traditional cremation ground to wean away people from traditional cremation.

The SC bench wanted the authorities to come out with a scheme in which modern technology can be used to reduce carbon emissions from the cremation ground.

Justice Joseph soon after a visit to the Taj in September this year had written a letter to the then Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu, seeking intervention of the Supreme Court to ensure that the Taj Mahal is not damaged by smoke released from a nearby cremation ground. He had pointed out that the Taj is under threat from pollution due to burning pyres and that the SC should intervene to protect this monument. The judge said he was concerned that fumes from pyres may affect the monument’s white marble. Justice Joseph stated he was told by some officials that the crematorium, situated between the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, sees at least 20-25 cremations every day. He sought directives to the Agra administration to shift the cremation ground away from the Taj. The bench of Justices Thakur and Nagappan, to whom the then CJI forwarded the letter, took up the issue seriously and sought the Agra administration’s response on whether the cremation ground can be shifted. The bench posted the matter for further hearing in February, 2016.