Taj city delegation meets president

AGRA - A delegation of social activists, businessmen and concerned citizens of Agra met president Pratibha Patil at Rashtrapati Bhavan Monday to demand a barrage on river Yamuna.

The delegation was led by Agra MP Ram Shankar Katheria.

K.C. Jain, a member of the delegation, told IANS on phone from New Delhi that the president gave a patient hearing for about 15 minutes and also accepted an invitation to visit the Taj city.

The delegation in its memorandum said Agra’s water needs demanded early execution of the barrage project, which has been hanging fire for more than 20 years after the foundation-stone laying ceremony.

More importantly for the safety of the Taj Mahal and other historical monuments along Yamuna’s banks, “it was necessary to fill the river with water. The foundation of the Taj Mahal requires water which was also necessary to bring down the high SPM level locally,” Jain added.

A spokesman of the delegation said the president has promised to look into the demands and forwarded the memorandum to the concerned ministry.