Effect Of Pollution On Historical Monument Pollution effects are not confined to the environment.

The potential for damage to historical monuments has already been realized. Some damage, such as from wind or rain, is unavoidable. However, pollution contributes additional risk factors that can increase the level of destruction. The effects may be minor, such as a blackening of the surface of monuments due to dust. Other impacts can have permanent consequences. Significance 1. Pollution negatively impacts historical monuments and buildings around the world, from the Acropolis in Greece to the America's own Lincoln Memorial. The threat is in the risk of losing these irreplaceable structures forever. Many of these monuments have cultural and aesthetic value that is beyond price. Acid Rain 2. One of the more destructive forms of pollution is acid rain. Acid rain occurs when fossil fuel emissions containing sulfur dioxide combine with moisture in the air to form acidic precipitation. When acid rain falls on historical monuments of limestone or marble, a chemical reaction takes place which has a corrosive effect on these structures. The reaction dissolves the material, leading to permanent damage. Global Warming 3. According to the National Climatic Data Center, global temperatures have risen during the past century at a rate of 0.11 degrees Fahrenheit per decade. The concern with historical monuments lies in the temperature impacts on the chemistry. Heat acts as a catalyst, speeding the rate of chemical reactions. The fate of historical monuments becomes more uncertain, and the urgency to take action increases. Global warming occurs when greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide trap radiant heat at the earth's surface, which causes temperatures to rise. Identification 1. The Issue: Environmental pollution spurred by industry and automobiles has long been observed to be progressively destroying the Taj Mahal's white marble surface. Petitions of Indian environmentalists have led to a series of court challenges in the Indian Supreme Court and lower courts. The conflict has often pitted business and labor interests against environmentalists and preservationists as well as India's need to protect its cultural heritage versus its need to provide jobs for its citizens.

2. Description: Mark Twain once remarked the world is divided between two types of people: those who have seen the Taj Mahal and those who have not. The Taj is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world and the image most associated with India. The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan erected the Taj Mahal at Agra as a mausoleum in memory of his beloved wife, Arjumarid Bano Begum; (popularly known as Mumtaz Mahal "favored of the court"), who died in A.D. 1630. Begun in 1632 AD, it took 20,000 men working every day over 22 years to complete. It is heralded by many as the greatest work of Mughal architecture. India has experienced exponential industrial growth in recent years. Increasingly, people have left villages for urban centers in order to try and find work. The result of this industrialization has often been overcrowded cities and dense pollution. Agra is no exception. It has been identified as a "pollution intensive zone" by the World Health Organization (WHO). It is estimated that the area around the Taj contains five times the amount of suspended particles (such as sulfur dioxide) that the Taj Mahal could handle without sustaining everlasting damage. India has been involved in a "greening" campaign particularly in regards to its national monuments. More recently, India has begun to try and attract more tourists: this has created a dilemma how to market its best Tourist attraction without causing significant damage to it in the process. PROTECTIONOFANCIENTMONUMENTSAND ARCHAEOLOGICALSITESANDREMAINS 3.Certain ancient and historical monument etc. deemed to be protected monument so rare as All ancient and historical monuments and all archaeological sites and remainswhichhavebeendeclaredbytheAncientMonumentsPreservationAct,1904 (CentralActVIIof1904),to be protected monuments or protected are as respectively, but which have not been declared by or under the law made by Parliament to be of national importance, shall be deemed to be ancient and Historical monument so rare chorological sites and remain declared to be Protected monument so rare as for the purposes of this Act.

HYDERABAD: The industrial belt of Patancheru could be synonymous with pollution but not many would be aware that battling for life in this area are the Patancheru tombs, that dated back to the 16th century and have fallen prey to toxins that have clouded Hyderabad's environment. Located in close proximity to the Hyderabad-Mumbai highway, these Qutub Shahi style tombs are also fighting poisonous chemicals emitted by various small and large scale industries in the area. Heritage experts note that sulphur and other harsh chemicals that are let out by the nearby industrial belt have eaten into the stone and destroyed the granite structure. They say that vibrations of heavy vehicles plying on the highway have also resulted in cracks on the monuments. But the tombs are possibly a less significant victim given that the city's iconic Charminar is also paying a price for government apathy. Though the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Hyderabad, responsible for the upkeep of the 400-year-old monument, had promised to take up chemical cleaning of the outer portion of Charminar in 2009, nothing has been done on that front yet. This, despite several studies ringing the alarm bell about the deteriorating condition of the Islamic-style structure, due to pollution. "It has been proved over and over again that pollution from vehicles has caused tremendous damage to the famous Charminar by corroding its granite and lime mortar surfaces. As most of our other heritage monuments are also built using such materials, rising pollution levels are sure a matter of great concern," said a heritage conservation activist. Activists say several structures in the Tank Bund area, including the Saidanima's tomb, have suffered considerable damage because of the same reason. Standing in the midst of a commercial area like Abids, the once prestigious Mehboobia Girls Junior College (a listed heritage monument under HMDA) has met with a similar fate. Heritage activists say that dust coupled with water has led to the formation of algae on the college walls posing a serious threat to the safety of the building which is known for its Osmanian style of architecture. They further rue that the college today is among the worst maintained heritage structures of the city. While the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958

clearly puts the onus on the government to protect its heritage from pollution, the AP government has given this clause a complete miss. Ironically, despite this sorry state of its history, the state government has been trying hard to win the 'world heritage tag' for the city. It has even roped in Abha Narain Lambah, a conservation architect this year to prepare the docket on the city's monuments to be submitted to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organiation ( Unesco). But the city's heritage pride is now in shambles. "The historic Moazam Jahi market, for instance, is covered with a thick layer of black deposit, thanks to the mad rush of vehicles in the area, which make it look like anything but a heritage site,'' notes Suryanarayana Murthy, a heritage architect stressing on the need to keep pollution levels around heritage structures under control to save them from perishing. Murthy suggests that a planned vegetation growth in the vicinity of these buildings can help the cause to some extent. And the list of pollution-affected structures is increasing with each passing year. The Ramgopalpet police station (a HMDA-notified heritage structure and popularly known as the James Street police station), the Bachelor's building near M J Market, built in the art deco style of architecture, and even the Khair un-nisa tombs in Khairatabad are all part of the city's heritage that are bearing the brunt of pollution and Hyderabad's deteriorating environment.