Decay of Taj Mahal

Decay of Taj Mahal

Context: A new study has identified hydrogen sulphide emitted from the polluted Yamuna as more corrosive than sulphur dioxide that comes from industrial pollution that has been largely blamed for the decay in the Taj’s marble.

Reasons for deterioration of Taj Mahal:

• For over three decades, sulphur dioxide has been considered to be the main pollutant behind the decay in the white marbles of Taj Mahal.
• In 2016, the report of the Archaeological Survey of India cited the formation of phosphorous in the Yamuna as a threat to the Taj Mahal. The phosphorous facilitated the breeding of the genus Goeldichironomus, in Yamuna water and blamed the insect excreta for the green and brownish patches on the Taj marbles.
• However, a recent study highlights one more reason-
  • It identifies Hydrogen Sulphide released from polluted Yamuna water for deterioration of Taj Mahal
  • Hydrogen Sulphide had a more corrosive impact than sulphur dioxide (SO₂) released by industrial pollution in Agra city.

Steps taken for protection of Taj Mahal-

• The focus of Taj-protection initiatives has mostly been on the
  • Industrial units, resulting in a series of measures since the 1980s to curb Agra’s industrial pollution, including the relocation and closure of some polluting industrial units.
  • Vehicular pollution: For three decades, sulphur dioxide has been considered to be the main pollutant behind the decay in the glorious white marbles.
• MC Mehta vs Union of India: The environmentalist MC Mehta drew attention of the SC to the yellowing and blackening of the Taj marbles in several places, suspected to have been a result of ‘acid rains’ caused by sulphur dioxide emissions.

While this study to identify the principal corrosion agent was conducted on exposed metals in Taj premises over four years, the authors recommended similar experimentation on marbles for a 10-year-period for a definitive understanding.