Built in sixteenth century, by the king Shah Jahan, the Taj Mahal has fascinated children and people all over the world. Shah Jahan’s 20,000 workers built this monument from 1630-53 as a tribute to the memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. As a symbol of love, the Taj Mahal became one of the well-known tourist attraction. Located on the banks of the river Jumna, near Agra, the Taj Mahal features a fusion of Hindu and Muslim architectural styles that represent India to the world. According to Bob Williams, in the country of religious strife, the monument became a symbol of hope and peace among Hindus and Muslims (13). Today the monument has enlighten hope between these two religions. Yet all things the Taj Mahal survived the invaders in the eighteenth century, today it faces a different threat : pollution. The air in the city of Agra has been so badly polluted that the Taj Mahal sometimes disappears in the murk. The automotive emissions and industrial wastes such as sulfur, nitrogen and carbon dioxide together with the river nearby have caused severe air pollution in and around the city of Agra. The clouds of pollution contain sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide (Kumar 1). Consequently, the Taj Mahal’s main building structure deteriorates because the river, the auto exhausts, and the industries have caused air pollution in the vicinity of the monument.

Tourists visiting the monument everyday have not caused deterioration. An anonymous author states that the monument has been harmed more by the tourists than by the industries. According to this author, "As many as 25,000 tourists visit the site daily, and many of them touch the marble, harming it with the moisture from the hands" (1). Infact, the tourists threatening the white marble by the hand moisture has a low percentage record. Regular periodic cleaning of the surface has been done depending upon the conditions of the area in the monument. According to the Anil Maheshwari, the deposition of chemicals on the marble surface has caused more damage to the monument rather than the hand moisture (139). Evidence proves that tourist does not harm marble of the monument.

Likewise, biodeterioration caused by the microorganisms has not caused severe damage to the monument. According to the geomicrobiologist Wolfganag Krumbein, from a university of Oldenburg in Germany, "the microbes attack more rapidly to the stones than the air pollution" (Young, 206 A). His laboratory experiments show that "biodeterioration of stone is 100 to 10,000 times faster than chemical deterioration" (206 A). Scientists remain uncertain about how fast these microbes react to the stone structure. A microbiologist, Ralph Mitchell says, "The organisms break hydrocarbons and converts sulfur and nitrogen dioxide to their acid forms and we really don’t know how important microbes are to this deterioration" (Young, 206 A). However, the National Environmental Engineering Committee (NEERI), shows that the amounts of microorganisms present in the stone slowly weakens the structure of the Taj Mahal (Maheshwari 3). Microorganisms also take years to break hydrocarbons, which convert the stones’ chemical compound to the acid form. Moreover, the survey of the community people also showed that the percentage of microorganisms damaging the iron joints have been very low compared to the pollution emission of the local industries. Thus, biodeterioration must not be the main cause of the deterioration.

Similarly, the lack of knowledge and awareness among the people about the consequences of the pollution on the environment and the monument has not caused the deterioration. The survey of the community suggests that the lack of knowledge about the effect of the pollution on the city and the monument has been a contributing factor in damaging the monument. However, the lack of knowledge among the people about the impact of pollution on the monument would not lead to deterioration because they deliberately use untreated gas in their vehicles despite the environmental laws. Sanjay Kumar states, "Under the Sharma’s action plan, drivers will be encouraged to use diesel and gas with a low carbon and sulfur contents"(10). Kumar clearly indicates that the government has a plan to make people aware about pollution. However, despite the government laws and policies to control pollution such as use of diesel and gas with low chemical contents, laws often have not implemented properly by the people. Hence, the lack of awareness among the people about the pollution would not play an important role in deteriorating the monument.

On the contrary, acid rain has a major impact on deterioration of the monument because it causes discoloration and cracks to the marble. Professor Saxena studied the effect of acid rain water on the deterioration of the structure (74). According to him, "Rain water having pH below 5.6 is called the acid rain" (74). A high amount of acidity in the rain water in the city has been recorded because of industries. The acid rain converts the marble’s chemical compounds into its acid form. As a result of the acidity, holes and cracks appear on the marble stone. In addition, acidity also causes different type of discoloration (74). Anil Maheshwari states that the marble stones have turned black at many places on the monument (163). Furthermore, acidity also weakens the marble joints and plasters. Due to the acid rain, there has been a leakage of the water on the upper part of the dome (61). Therefore, the Taj Mahal has been deteriorated as a result of the acid rain.

Likewise, the river Jumna also causes deterioration to the monument because the city has an inefficient sewage disposal method. Since most of the untreated sewage has been disposed in the river, professor Javed Ashraf claims that the structure of the Taj Mahal has not suffered any major damage except the sand damage to the balcony on the river side (141). In fact, the government of the state of Uttar Pradesh appointed a committee, headed by Mr. S.C.Tripathi, to study the environmental effects of the river on the Taj Mahal. He states that the improper underground disposal system and the treatment of sewage before disposing it to the river cause severe water pollution in the river. Furthermore, the increasing usage of domestic fuels such as wood and cowdung threaten the river Jumna (116). As a result, the rotting sewage materials and the domestic fuels increase the number of microorganisms such as fungi, cyanobacteria and algae in the river. These microorganisms slowly emit sulfur compounds which corrode the iron joints that hold marble stones together. According to Sanjay Kumar, "The rusting process causes the iron lugs and dowels to expand and the consequent stress shatters the marble, a phenomenon known as spalling" (8). He reveals that the load-bearing capacity of the building reduces due to the spreading of the cracks and rusting of the iron joints which causes a permanent structural damage. Due to the rusting, the joints on the river side part of the structure have been damaged. Anil Maheshwari states that the rotting sewage materials in the river occur due to the human and the animal waste which leads to the sewage problem (116). As a result, the river Jumna causes severe rusting of the marble joints that undermine the monument.

The automotive exhausts have been another leading causes of air pollution which eventually deteriorates the monument. A auto exhaust contributes to the high levels of hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide in the urban air. To begin with, about 20,000 heavy vehicles such as trucks and 10,000 light carriage vehicles, motor cars and mopeds travel every day in the Agra city (Chaudhri 2). Next, the survey taken by the Inventory and Assessment of the Pollution Emission (IAPE), showed that about 6000 vehicles travel everyday within a three km radius of the Taj Mahal (2). Finally, the study conducted by Tripathi shows that the heavy duty vehicle emits a higher percentage of fumes of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons in the air while the light carrier vehicle emits a higher percentage of fumes of nitrogen oxides (115). The National Air Quality Standards also shows that on the average 60 to 80 micrograms per cubic meter of nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide have been found in the air near the Taj Mahal (148). According to Cheng, fumes emitted by these chemicals deposit on the marble surface (1). These chemicals react with the surface converting it to the acid form. As a result, the cracks in the stone and the plaster which joins them ultimately weaken the structure.

Local industries such as cast-iron foundries and glasswork factories have been the next major cause of pollution that deteriorates the monument because these industries emit high contents of sulfur dioxide. About 126 cast-iron factories and 16 glasswork factories situated within 4 km radius from the monument (Chaudhuri 8). These foundries use solid fuels such as coke, coal, and wood to melt molten metal such as iron. According to the survey conducted by IAPE in Agra City and it surroundings, in all the foundries, molten metal absorbs sulfur present in the fuel (8). When solid fuels burn, they emit SO₂ and CO₂ in to the atmosphere. Survey shows that the insufficient melting process of these fuels and heat utilization leads to an emission of sulfur dioxide (8). Due to the inefficiency, metal absorbs sulfur in the lower percentage and thus allowing more sulfur to escape in the atmosphere. As a result, these foundries emit sulfur dioxide at the rate of 68.48 tons per month in the atmosphere. Consequently, these chemicals cause yellowing to the marble surface. Opponents like Tej Singh argue, "The yellowish appearance could be because of any type of organic coating that might have been applied to the monument in the past" (448). The solutions such as polymethylmethacrylate might be used as an organic coating on the marble surface to clean it. (448). However, the study conducted by IAPE shows that an emission of sulfur dioxide by these local industries causes yellowing color of the marble surface and weakens the building structure (8). According to IAPE, chemicals cause cracks and rusting to the marble joints (8). As a result, the deposition of the sulfur dioxide on the marble surface causes corrosion to the joints which eventually weakens the structure. Hence, chemicals generated by the local industries causes deterioration of the monument.

Similarly, damage to the monument occurred as a result of the government’s oil refineries has played considerably more harmful factor than any other. According to Mahaeshwari, the lack of preservation of the Taj Mahal has been triggered by the government of India (106). For decades the Taj Mahal has deteriorated because of overpopulation that came as a result of building the oil refinery. Government of India has build an oil refinery to provide jobs. Since 1973, the population of Agra has increased together with the industries due to this oil refinery and the growing economy. The survey of the several people from the community shows that due to the increasing population in the city, the scarcity of land has arisen. In addition of the growing economy, this scarcity of land has forced government to build an oil industry near the monument. Likewise, local industrialists also build their industries near the monument. As a result, this increases the difficulty of relocating the industries including an oil industry away from the city and so government decided not to move an oil industry. Therefore, all the above reasons lead both government and local industrialists not to upkeep the monument.

Since the 1970s government has not cared enough to preserve and to maintain the monument because despite the growing economy, the government’s oil refinery has experienced a lack of cash and technology. For instance, the government supported to build an oil industry in 1973. At that time, the Supreme Court of India enacted laws and policies to control pollution such as requirements of proper installation and maintenance of industrial equipment and proper documentation of chemical measurements. However, the oil industry often had difficulty in implementing these environmental laws and policies. Mr. Bharat reveals that bureaucratic conflicts and a lack of cash and status in environment or natural resources ministries have led to the difficulty in implementing these policies and maintaining the monument. (Dagra 1). As a result, an oil industry suffered a lack of cash and they could not install the new equipment which would purify the chemicals. Furthermore, the survey of the community people shows that an improper installation of the industrial equipment and documentation has been found by the court and environmentalists and yet the government did not care to fix the problem faced by the oil industry such as installation of better industrial equipment. As a result, the oil industry pollutes air by spewing more chemicals in the surrounding area of the Taj Mahal which damages the monument.

Like automotive exhaust pollution, the Mathura oil refinery, located within a 6 km radius of the Taj Mahal causes air pollution which damages the structure. Opponents like Tej Singh argue, "It was remarked by several persons that all the changes in the marble were due to pollution caused by oil refinery. However, according to us, it needed more proof and study before any conclusions could be drawn" (453). However, according to Anil Maheshwari, the oil refinery has emitted 15.4 micrograms per cubic meter sulfur dioxide from 1981-85 and 30 micrograms per cubic meter from 1987-94 (106). Furthermore, the oil refinery has emitted 20 micrograms per cubic meter of nitrogen oxides from 1981-87 and continues to increase up to 50 micrograms per cubic meter in recent years (106). As a result, these chemicals cause yellowing to the marble. Like acid rain, sulfur dioxide converts marble into its acid form (106). It also converts plaster between the two marble joints into a powder form. Anil Maheshwari clearly indicates that the oil refinery spews more sulfur dioxide and other chemicals to the atmosphere which eventually deteriorates the monument. All these evidence points to an increase in air pollution which badly affects the monument.

Recently, due to the growing interest by environmentalists all around the world about preserving the monument, the Supreme Court has ordered the relocation of several local industries and the oil industry away from the city. According to Gringrich, "supreme court ordered a relocation of 292 industries near the vicinity of the monument, there has been a major dispute between the local industrialists and the government" (1). But the government decided not to relocate the oil industry. This decision leads to the dispute between the local industrialists and the government. Furthermore, Gringrich states, "Local industrialists said that they have ‘been made scapegoats’ for the refinery, which they say spews a ton of sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere every hour" (1). According to the local industrialists, the government fears that relocating oil refinery which might result in disrupting the economic growth. Mr. Bharat stated that, "The fear of the decision makers to relocate and to restrict industries might brake economic development is just one reason for the government not implementing laws and policies" (Dagra 1). As a result of this fear, the government forces other industries to relocate rather than an oil refinery. Relocation costs the local industrialists a lot of capital which leads to the dispute between the government and the industrialists and they lack interest to preserve and to maintain the monument. Hence, Taj Mahal continues to deteriorate.

The solution to preserve the Taj Mahal should be the main priority of the people and the government because the monument fascinates all of us. Several factors have contributed in the deterioration of the Taj Mahal and so the problem would not go away easily. According to the Sanjay Kumar, there has been the lack of public awareness about the problem (10). The lack of the awareness among the people exists due to the lack of proper knowledge about the effects of pollution on the monument. Besides, the monument enlightens hope and peace among the communities. The existence of the monument will fascinate children and people in the future. Furthermore, the solution to the problem has been difficult. One solution should emphasize on helping to educate and to increase awareness among the people about the effects of pollution on the city and the monument. As a result, education would help generate good solutions to the problem. Another solution should emphasize on passing a law which enforces tourists to pay a minimum amount every time they visit the monument would help maintaining it. As a result of this money, the state would generate a revenue. This money must spend after the maintenance and the repairing. Regular maintenance and repairing would ensure the existence of the monument in the future. In addition, according to Siddiqi, "The Indian state of Uttar Pradesh is seeking a $178 million loan from the World Bank to help preserve the tomb and protect Agra from pollution" (48). But, corruption and bureaucratic conflicts between the environmental and natural resource ministers in the Indian government has lead to deterioration of the monument (Bharat 1). However, environmentalists and US government must see that India must spends this money on renovating the monument. All these possible solutions would save the monument from further deterioration and might help preserve it.

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