New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that due to its haphazard and unplanned growth and polluting industries, Agra is unfit to be declared as a "heritage city."
"Despite historical monuments like Fatehpuri Sikri, Agra Fort, Taj Mahal and numerous historical sites, the city cannot be brought under the scope of a heritage city," Solicitor General G E Vahanvati told a Bench comprising Justice S B Sinha, Justice S H Kapadia and Justice D K Jain.
Apprising the court of the Centre's view on the issue, the Solicitor General said that apart from these medieval sites, there was nothing outstanding in the city to declare it a heritage city.
Vahanvati said the Centre and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had examined the court's concern following its December 20, 1996 order of developing Agra as heritage city.
The court wanted to know if it was possible to cover a part of the city to declare it as a heritage city.
During the last hearing, the court was informed that UNESCO was eager to see Agra as a heritage city. However, nothing was done in this regard.
Meanwhile, on the issue of constructing a facilitation centre, the court said it would be better if some land is provided by the Agra Development Authority outside the boundary wall of the Taj Mahal.
Advocate M C Mehta, on whose PIL the court is monitoring issues for protecting the monument, and advocate Krishan Mahajan, who is amicus curaie in the matter have opposed the construction of a facilitation centre within the compound.
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