Growing human load seen as threat to the Taj

August 20, 2014

Agra, Aug 20: More than 200,000 people visited the Taj Mahal in two days over the weekend, causing alarm among conservationists who feel the ever-increasing human load on the fragile white marble wonder on the banks of the Yamuna could prove detrimental to the health of the monument to love.

Growing human

Mughal emperor Shah Jahan wanted it to be a place of peace and tranquillity, but the 17th century Taj Mahal today sees a daily influx of nearly 12,000 visitors. By the end of the holiday bounty that began Thursday and will end Monday evening, tourism industry souces say, close to 300,000 people would have visited the monument. This includes hordes of those under 15 who enjoy free entry.

Conservationists in the city demand that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) must come up with a plan to regulate the tourist inflow.

More than six million tourists visited the Taj last year. And the numbers are expected to shoot up as a new tourist season begins Sept 27, World Tourism Day.

With so many people crowding around the monument, it is natural that the overall load will increase. Then, there is an additional problem of people touching and feeling the marble structure.

Historians like R. Nath have repeatedly expressed concern after reports that no one has been inside the basement to see the state of the foundation for the last so many years. With the Yamuna receding several hundred feet away and with hardly any water left in the river, we could be inviting trouble for the monument, local activists feel.

Back in 1993, a high-powered committee appointed by the Supreme Court had recommended restrictions on the entry of visitors. For the first time in history, the Taj Mahal got a weekly holiday and visiting hours were limited, including a ban on nocturnal visits.

The Taj needs to breathe and spend a quiet day, the experts had opined. But, owing to popular demand, night viewing of the Taj is now allowed for four days a month.

From a few hundred at the time of India's independence in 1947, the daily influx of visitors from all corners has now crossed 10,000. On some days it goes beyond 50,000.

Historians and conservationists feel the structure is being endangered by the "surfeit of love" and interest showered by its admirers.

Who will decide what is the safe limit? The ASI says that the Nagpur-based National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) had been entrusted with the task two years ago and a detailed report is about to be submitted.

These are questions begging answers. Thus, while the tourism industry - both government and private - wants more and more tourists to visit the Taj, conservationists see alarming signals.

Surendra Sharma of the Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society wants a graded system of entry tickets with those paying the highest amount being allowed to enter the main structure of the mausoleum.

"Those who pay less should not be allowed beyond the central tank. And for the masses, let there be free entry till the main gate or the forecourt, from where they can have a distant glimpse of the Taj Mahal," Sharma said.

Historian Amit Mukherjea and others also feel some system has to be evolved to regulate the flow, "may be a waiting list on the first-come-first-served basis could be the answer".

This would indirectly help the Agra hotels because tourists would then have to stay longer in Agra, waiting for their turn to see the Taj.

So while the monument's battle with industrial pollution may be over thanks to a series of drastic measures by the Supreme Court, the human load is becoming a threat to the Taj complex along with the onslaught of nature in the form of dust from neighbouring Rajasthan desert and the dry Yamuna riverbed.

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Agencies
March 10,2020

New Delhi, Mar 10: Crisis-hit Yes Bank on Tuesday said that it has enabled inward IMPS and NEFT services.

The move allows people to send money from other bank accounts to their Yes Bank account through IMPS (Immediate Payment Service) and NEFT (National Electronic Funds Transfer) mode.

In a tweet, the bank also said that Yes Bank customers can pay their credit card dues and loan obligations from other bank accounts.

"Inward IMPS/NEFT services have now been enabled. You can make payments towards YES BANK Credit Card dues and loan obligations from other bank accounts. Thank you for your co-operation. @RBIA @FinMinIndia," said tweet.

Last week Yes Bank was placed under moratorium and a withdrawal cap of Rs 50,000 was imposed till April 3.

The administrator of Yes Bank, Prashant Kumar and Rajnish Kumar, the Chairman of the State Bank of India are hopeful that moratorium would be lifted within a week.

As per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) draft reconstruction scheme for the crisis-hit private lender, the SBI will take up 49 per cent in the bank by investing Rs 2,450 crore.

The new board of directors will stand constituted from the appointed date. It will comprise a CEO and MD, non-executive chairman and non-executive directors. The SBI will have nominee directors appointed on the board of the reconstructed bank.

The RBI may appoint additional directors to the board, who shall continue in office for one year, or until an alternate board is constituted by Yes Bank.

The SBI will not reduce its holding below 26 per cent before completion of three years from the date of infusion of the capital.

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Agencies
June 18,2020

New Delhi, Jun 18: Vodafone Idea on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it has incurred Rs 1 lakh crore losses as it insisted it is not in a position to furnish bank guarantees.

A bench comprising Justices Arun Mishra, S. Abdul Nazeer, and M.R. Shah, taking up the adjusted gross revenue (AGR) matter through video conferencing, directed the telecom companies to submit their financial documents and books for the last 10 years.

Asking Vodafone if it was a foreign company, the bench said that how can the company say it would not furnish any bank guarantee.

"What if you fly away overnight in future without paying anything?" it asked.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Vodafone Idea, denied his client is a completely foreign firm and cited before the bench its tie-ups and investments.

Vodafone owes over Rs 58,000 crore as AGR dues and so far, has paid close to Rs 7,000 crore.

Rohatgi contended before the court that the telecom company is in a tough situation, and cannot furnish any fresh bank guarantee, as profits have eluded the company in past many quarters. He submitted before the bench that Rs 15,000 crore bank guarantees are lying with the government, and his client's losses are over Rs 1 lakh crore.

"I cannot offer any more surety," he informed the bench.

Justice Mishra noted that this is public money and these dues should be recovered. "Do not tell us that you will pay if you were to make profits... the money must come," he noted.

Justice Shah observed that the telecom industry is the only industry which earned during the Covid-19 pandemic. "After all, this money will be used for public welfare", he said.

Rohatgi argued that his client would have to fold up if orders were issued to clear dues tomorrow. "11,000 employees will have to go without notice, as we cannot pay them," he added.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Bharti Airtel, contended before the court that out of Rs 21,000 crore AGR dues, the company has already deposited a sum of Rs 18,000 crore.

He argued that his client has given a bank guarantee, in excess of demand, to DoT, and supported the proposal for phased repayment of remaining AGR dues. He insisted that the company needs to sit down with the government and calculate the dues. Airtel owes Rs 25,976 crore after paying Rs 18,000 crore, as per the government.

Senior advocate Arvind Datar, representing Tata Telecom, informed the bench that his client has paid Rs 6,504 crore in AGR dues so far, and furnishing a bank guarantee may adversely impact investments in the sector.

The total AGR dues are close to Rs 1.5 lakh crore.

The top court will now take up the matter in the third week of July.

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News Network
June 30,2020

Bengaluru, Jun 30: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Monday launched 'Skill Connect Forum' and said that the government is committed to provide impetuous to creating jobs by reviving economic and industrial activities.

The 'Skill Connect Forum' portal connects both private entrepreneurs and job seekers on the same platform.

After launching the forum, the Chief Minister said that the portal provides information on jobs available and who needs a job. "Under this forum, an unemployed will be imparted skills and then enabled to get a job," Yediyurappa said.
Besides providing jobs via registration, the portal also provides a skilled pool of people for those looking to hire, he added.

Deputy Chief Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, who is also the Skill Development Minister said that portal will be a boon to the youth seeking jobs and it will avoid unemployment issue to a great extent.

"All these years, there was no information and communication between job seekers and recruiters. The portal will solve that problem," he said.

Narayan said that there was no proper information on skilled workers and job market. Moreover, skill development was not in sync with the market. All these issues have been addressed by the portal, he added.

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