The Agra Development Authority (ADA) has informed the central government that it will not be able to construct houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY) in the eco-sensitive Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) owing to a ban imposed by the ministry of environment, forest and climate change on construction activities within 5,000 square metres.
The TTZ is a defined area of 10,400 sq km around the Taj Mahal to protect the monument from pollution. It covers five districts in the Agra region and comprises over 40 protected monuments, including the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri.
“Due to ad hoc moratorium imposed by the environment ministry, construction of houses under the PMAY scheme could not take place. Following approval of higher authorities, we have asked the central government to cancel the assigned target. We have proposed to re-assign the target for construction of houses after the ad hoc moratorium is removed,” ADA secretary RP Tripathi said.
Meanwhile, four private builders, who entered into a contract with the ADA to build houses, have sought s refund of their security money, sources privy to the development
In November 2018, when the target for construction of houses was assigned to ADA, the environment ministry had placed ban on construction activities on 20,000 square meters around the Taj Mahal.
But later, the ad hoc moratorium was made applicable on construction activites within 5000 square meteres.
Source: The Times of India
