A thick layer of smog has engulfed the Agra amid rising air pollution in the northern India compelling the tourists to be disappointed as they are not able to enjoy the scenic view of the iconic Taj Mahal properly on Monday (November 6). Domestic as well as foreign tourists have expressed dismay over their failure to capture the beautiful monument in their camera clearly. Agra District Magistrate Bhanu Chandra Goswami on Monday (November 6) directed the authorities during a review meeting to take required steps to curb air pollution in the city.
He asked the officials to sprinkle water at the construction sites.
How did the tourists react?
A local tour guide Shakeel Rafiq said that the tourists are disappointed when they are failing to capture the Taj Mahal in the background in their pictures.
"On Sunday, I was with an elderly couple from Germany. We visited the monument at 8 am, but could not see the Taj properly from a distance. It made them disappointed," Rafiq said.
Some tourists from Poland also had to face a similar situation as they too could not view the monument in the morning and had to reschedule their visit to the afternoon, he said.
Rajeev Saxena, president of the Tourism Guild of Agra, said it is a serious concern for tourists.
Four tourists from the US cancelled a tour of other monuments in the city after visiting the Taj Mahal as they could not see it properly, he said.
Construction activities also responsible
According to Saxena, the construction activities near the Taj has made the things worse in the last three years.
Dr Vishwanath Sharma, regional officer at Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, Agra, said that measures are being taken to control air pollution.
“Government agencies have been asked to sprinkle water at construction sites mainly near the Taj Mahal. Besides, waster burning is banned in the city and authorities have been asked to penalise violators. The traffic police have been asked to divert traffic mainly from the spots where traffic jams occur," Sharma said.
Ranjit Kumar, assistant professor at Dayalbagh Educational Institute and a local environmentalist, said, "Emissions from farm fires in Punjab and Haryana affect the air quality of Agra during this period. Taj Mahal is situated on the bank of river Yamuna. Yamuna and Ganga basin act as vacuum and pollution gets transported through the basin and the city like Agra situated over the Indo-Gangetic basin becomes polluted."
"Increase in air pollution and smog over the Agra region may damage the surface of white marbles of the Taj Mahal," he added.
(With PTI inputs)
ALSO READ | Delhi pollution crisis: Odd-Even vehicle system to be implemented for a week | Check dates
ALSO READ | Can air pollution cause cancer? Here’s what AIIMS doctor said
