Question

It is said , the Taj Mahal may be destroyed due to
A. Flood in Yamuna river
B. Decomposition of marble as a result of high temperature
C. Air pollutants released from oil refinery of Mathura
D. All of the above

Answer 1

Hint:
Taj Mahal is situated in Agra where there are so many factories and the refineries which release harmful pollutants and make the rain acidic.

Complete answer:
Taj Mahal is a monument made up of ivory-white marble and it is situated on the southern bank of the river Yamuna in the city of Agra. It is one of the wonders of the world and is known for its beauty.
Agra is an industrial place because many factories are present there. Mathura refinery is also present there. There is release of harmful air pollutants from these oil refineries like oxides of sulphur and nitrogen. These react with water from the atmosphere and it gets converted into sulphuric acid and nitric acid, these acids are present in the atmospheric and when the rain comes these make rain acidic as these acids come down on the earth with the rain. Acid rain causes the marble of Taj Mahal to become pale and erode.
The Indian government looked into this matter to examine the effects of refineries. They hired a panel and they found that there are high levels of particulate matter present in the air which is caused by the emissions from factories, dust, construction and exhaust from automobiles and these are causing damage to the Taj Mahal. Therefore, from the options given in the question it is clear that Taj Mahal may be destroyed due to the air pollutants released from the oil refinery of Mathura.

Thus, the correct answer is option C. i.e Air pollutants released from the oil refinery of Mathura.

Note: Air pollutants released from factories in Agra are harmful as these are present in the air and when the rain comes it also comes down to the surface of earth with the rain and it makes the rain acidic. This acid rain falls on the Taj Mahal and makes its marble to erode and pale.