M. C Mehta v Union Of India AIR 1997 SC 734

On the eve of his retirement, J. Kuldip Singh delivered the judgment in the Taj Trapesium case, culminating a long and arduous battle fought by M. C Mehta for over a decade. The case was first placed in 1984, wherein the petitioner warned of damage to the Taj Mahal from air pollutants from the Mathura refinery.

It was alleged by the petitioner that the suplphur dioxide emitted by the Mathura refinery and the industries when combined with Oxygen-with the aid of moisture-in the atmosphere forms suplphuric acid  which has a corroding effect on the gleaming white marble of the Taj. Industrial/Refinery emissions, brick-kilns, vehicular traffic and generator sets are primarily responsible for polluting the ambient air around Taj Trapezium. The petition states that the white marble has yellowed and blackened in places. It is inside the Taj that the decay is more apparent.  Yellow pallor pervades the entire monument. In places the yellow hue is magnified by ugly brown and black spots. Fungal deterioration is worst n the inner chamber where the original graves of Shah-Jahan and Mumtaz mahal lie.

The Court observed that the Taj, apart from being cultural heritage, is an industry by itself, More than two million tourists visit the Taj every year. It is a source of revenue for the country.

Various orders were passed by the Court. The Court created a Taj Trapezium which consisted of 10, 400 sq. Kms in the shape of a trapezium to regulates activities in relation to air pollution.

Industries were asked to shift to eco friendly fuel and use lessen the use of diesels generators, and asked the State to improve power supply the city. Tanneries operating from Agra were asked to shift from the Trapezium. The Pollution Control Boards [State and Central] were asked to monitor any further deterioration in the quality of air and report the same to the Court. Further the Court asked he government to take steps to undo the wrong on the environment and the white marbles at Taj and to take clean up operations.