Agra: The cumulative impact of dozens of pollution abatement measures at the intervention of the Supreme Court of India, has made the Taj city environment cleaner, say green activists of the city.

The apex court on the recommendations of a high-powered experts committee headed by Dr. S Vardarajan had in 1993, ordered a series of measures, including shut down of all polluting industries in the Taj Trapezium Zone, spread over 10,400 sq km. More areas were brought under the green cover. The industries were told to switch over to natural gas or shift. Coal burning was strictly banned. Other measures as a fallout of the PIL filed by eco lawyer MC Mehta included restrictions on diesel-run vehicles, use of LPG cylinders for cooking, uninterrupted power supply, etc.

It has taken 25 years for results to show. “First there was resistance to changes, then hesitant steps towards transformation and adoption to new gas-based technologies by the iron foundries and the glass industries of Firozabad, and this has definitely made a huge difference to the working conditions in factories and helped the environment,” says green activist Prashant Kaushik.

“Before the private discom Torrent Ltd took over distribution of power in Agra, the city suffered massive outages of supply forcing the use of diesel generators for long hours in shops, and residential complexes. Happily, the situation has changed now. People are no longer using generators, investors, or even stabilizers and UPS, on such a big scale. The city’s power supply has changed for the better, after 2012. Generator manufacturers have had to shut down their units for want of demand,” notes environmentalist Devashish Bhattacharya. He says grey spots are there but also a silver lining. “The city was once described as the dirtiest place in the world, but any visitor who comes now is amazed to see a slew of changes that have transformed the city’s skyline,” Bhattacharya adds.

The most discernible transformation has been in the transport sector, with many more electric vehicles on the roads. “Over a hundred sleek electric buses crisscross Agra roads, ferrying people from one part to the other. The number of battery-operated rikshaws runs into thousands, while autos have been forced to switch over to CNG. Fuel-efficient vehicles are in demand these days. This changing trend has helped improve the overall quality of air and people could feel it during those nightmarish Covid-19 days. For several months in a row this year, the AQI in Agra has remained green,” says social activist Padmini Iyer.

Mukta, who returned to her home town Agra recently after three years, said the city’s profile after G20 had changed drastically. “Vertical gardens, green crossings, open spaces all along the Kheria airport to Shilpgram route, ten kilometers, with painted walls and functioning traffic lights along the tourist complex in Fatehabad road, have been amazing delights during my trip. I found the newly developed Chaupati in the Taj Nagri green zone, particularly fascinating.” Work on the Metro is in full swing and once this facility is available there would be considerable improvement in the traffic flow within the city, Mukta hoped.

Agra being a city of monuments has numerous large green spaces from the Taj Mahal to the Taj Nature Walk, the Mehtab Garden, Shah Jahan Park, the sprawling golf course, Sikandra, Etmauddaula, the heritage corridor along Yamuna river, the urban green forest along the boundary of the Agra Fort, the Dayalbagh area, and the upcoming colonies have lots of green spaces, that not only absorb pollutants but are soothing treat to the eyes, according to social activist Anand Rai of the India Rising.

For the record, it may be mentioned that the SPM level, the NO2, and the SO2 levels are within the stipulated standard parameters. Only the RSPM level, fine particles in the ambient air, remains high, “The traffic jams in some parts and the bad roads are affecting the quality of air but solutions are on the anvil. A Greater Agra project is ready and so is the riverfront development project. If you compare the figures with 1995 data or even 2001, there is a world of difference. The Yamuna Expressway and the Agra Lucknow Expressway, along with bypasses encircling Agra, there is a significant improvement in the general environment. However the steady growth of vehicles on the roads, due to increased affordability neutralizes the gains made,” says financial consultant Sudhir Gupta.

Undoubtedly the Archaeological Survey of India and the Agra Development Authority have worked on a number of projects to make tourist mobility safer and better. The Agra Municipal Corporation headed by dynamic commissioner Ankit Khandelwal, has left no efforts to streamline the garbage collection system, cleaning of open drains, and development of more civic facilities. But the road to graduating to a real Smart city is still long and arduous in terms of expectations.