New Delhi: The entire Taj Mahal precinct should be declared a no-plastic zone and all polluting industries in the region closed, the Uttar Pradesh government suggested in its first draft report of a vision document on protection and preservation of the 17th century monument filed in the Supreme Court on Tuesday.
The Uttar Pradesh government mentioned the matter before a bench of Justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta.
The vision document was submitted after an angry apex court on July 11 lashed out the state government for its apathy towards the Mughal era monument, considered one of the seven wonders of the world and a major tourist draw.
Advocate Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the state government, told the bench that they be allowed to file the document.
The court allowed the counsel to file the draft.
The Uttar Pradesh government told the apex court that the entire Taj Mahal precinct should be declared a no-plastic zone and the use of bottled water inside should also be prohibited.
The state government said all polluting industries in region should be closed, while more tourism hubs should be created.
It said a comprehensive traffic management plan was needed to promote pedestrian movement in the Taj heritage precinct.
The draft vision document also said roads along the Yamuna riverfront should be planned so traffic is limited and pedestrian movement encouraged.
According to the government, there should be no construction on the Yamuna floodplain and the riverbank should only have natural plantations. The apex court has been monitoring development in the area to protect the Taj Mahal, built by Mughal emperor
Shah Jahan in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal at Agra in 1643.