{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-c03aa079.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-517835be.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='How insects are tarnishing the Taj Mahal' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54cb15d8eafeecae1a118b' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54cb15d8eafeecae1a118b' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nHow insects are tarnishing the Taj Mahal\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003eLEAD IN: Swarms of insects breeding in a polluted river near the Taj Mahal are threatening the intricate marble inlay that adorns the famous  monument to love.They are leaving green and black patches of waste all over the walls, which...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003eLEAD IN: Swarms of insects breeding in a polluted river near the Taj Mahal are threatening the intricate marble inlay that adorns the famous  monument to love.They are leaving green and black patches of waste all over the walls, which are proving hard to shift.STORY-LINE: The Taj Mahal, one of India's most cherished tourist attractions, brings millions of visitors to the northern city of Agra every year. The monument was built by Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan between 1632 and 1654 for his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, and it houses their graves and a mosque.Archaeologists have been struggling to protect the Taj Mahal from air pollution, which turns the marble yellow and brown.Now a new threat in the form of faeces from a tiny insect is spreading itself across the marble walls turning them green and black.  The flies are coming from the nearby polluted Yamuna River. The authorities are looking for a permanent solution to the problem created by the insects from the genus Goeldichironomus, a type of elongated fly that resembles a mosquito.Girish Maheshwari heads the Department of Entomology at St. John's College in Agra. He says for now the problem is controllable. \"The food it (the insect) got from its larvae is partially digested chlorophyll and some faecal matter and the insect is dropping it (on the walls of Taj Mahal). Since chlorophyll is a pigment it is leaving its green colour. The green colour is due to pigment and it is not such a big problem. If we immediately clean it with water it will not leave a stain.\"But Maheshwari believes the insects could eventually affect tourist traffic to the monument .\"There have been many such cases around the world where the flies in tourist places have restricted the movements of the tourists. They are present in such large numbers that they can get into eyes, nose, mouth and ears. It has not yet reached such a stage at the Taj Mahal. We are lucky enough that they only emerge in the evenings when most of the tourists have left. I believe this problem can be managed - it needs monitoring, regular monitoring.\"Environmental activists say the insect menace is a matter of serious concern.Because of the dumping of waste, the river has stagnated to the point that it no longer supports fish that once kept the insects in check, says activist and Agra resident D K Joshi.'What is happening with the Taj regarding the insects is this - due to the waste in the Yamuna river, the fish died. Earlier these fish used to eat (these insects) but now there are no fish and only algae is left. These insects are thriving because of that (algae) and these insects get to the walls of the Taj. And if you talk about your national pride - the Taj Mahal - this is a matter of concern.\"The National Green Tribunal has directed the local authorities to keep the area near the marble mausoleum clean.Joshi has filed an additional plea to the tribunal, asking for a special committee to suggest measures to prevent further damage to the Taj Mahal and the Yamuna river.Officials say they are looking into why there is sudden increase in the number of these insects, and how to control the population.The walls can be scrubbed clean every day, but regular scrubbing can damage the floral mosaics and shiny marble surface, according to experts. LEAD IN: Swarms of insects breeding in a polluted river near the Taj Mahal are threatening the intricate marble inlay that adorns the famous  monument to love.They are leaving green and black patches of waste all over the walls, which are proving hard to shift.STORY-LINE: The Taj Mahal, one of India's most cherished tourist attractions, brings millions of visitors to the northern city of Agra every year. The monument was built by Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan between 1632 and 1654 for his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, and it houses their graves and a mosque.Archaeologists have been struggling to protect the Taj Mahal from air pollution, which turns the marble yellow and brown.Now a new threat in the form of faeces from a tiny insect is spreading itself across the marble walls turning them green and black.  The flies are coming from the nearby polluted Yamuna River. The authorities are looking for a permanent solution to the problem created by the insects from the genus Goeldichironomus, a type of elongated fly that resembles a mosquito.Girish Maheshwari heads the Department of Entomology at St. John's College in Agra. He says for now the problem is controllable. \"The food it (the insect) got from its larvae is partially digested chlorophyll and some faecal matter and the insect is dropping it (on the walls of Taj Mahal). Since chlorophyll is a pigment it is leaving its green colour. The green colour is due to pigment and it is not such a big problem. If we immediately clean it with water it will not leave a stain.\"But Maheshwari believes the insects could eventually affect tourist traffic to the monument .\"There have been many such cases around the world where the flies in tourist places have restricted the movements of the tourists. They are present in such large numbers that they can get into eyes, nose, mouth and ears. It has not yet reached such a stage at the Taj Mahal. We are lucky enough that they only emerge in the evenings when most of the tourists have left. I believe this problem can be managed - it needs monitoring, regular monitoring.\"Environmental activists say the insect menace is a matter of serious concern.Because of the dumping of waste, the river has stagnated to the point that it no longer supports fish that once kept the insects in check, says activist and Agra resident D K Joshi.'What is happening with the Taj regarding the insects is this - due to the waste in the Yamuna river, the fish died. Earlier these fish used to eat (these insects) but now there are no fish and only algae is left. These insects are thriving because of that (algae) and these insects get to the walls of the Taj. And if you talk about your national pride - the Taj Mahal - this is a matter of concern.\"The National Green Tribunal has directed the local authorities to keep the area near the marble mausoleum clean.Joshi has filed an additional plea to the tribunal, asking for a special committee to suggest measures to prevent further damage to the Taj Mahal and the Yamuna river.Officials say they are looking into why there is sudden increase in the number of these insects, and how to control the population.The walls can be scrubbed clean every day, but regular scrubbing can damage the floral mosaics and shiny marble surface, according to experts. AP Television Agra, India, 26 May 20161. Wide of Taj Mahal as seen from the rear side , close to River Yamuna2. Visitors in front of the Taj Mahal3. Wide of the Taj MahalAP Television Agra, India 25 May,2016 ++QUALITY AS INCOMING++    4. Various of green spots on the Taj wallsAP Television Agra, India, 26 May  20165. Wide of college professor and Entomology expert Girish Maheshwari in his laboratory6. Close of the insect 7. SOUNDBITE (Hindi) Girish Maheshwari, Department of Entomology, St. John's College, Agra:\"The food it (the insect) got from its larvae is partially digested chlorophyll, and some faecal matter, and the insect is dropping it (on the walls of Taj Mahal). Since chlorophyll is a pigment it is leaving its green colour. The green colour is due to pigment and it is not such a big problem. If we immediately clean it with water it will not leave a stain.\"8. Wide of the Taj Mahal from the rear side (near Yamuna river )9. Various of garbage waste in the Yamuna river10. Mid of the Taj Mahal11. SOUNDBITE (Hindi) Girish Maheshwari, Department of Entomology, St. John's College, Agra:\"There have been many such cases around the world where the flies in tourist places have restricted the movements of the tourists. They are present in such large numbers that they can get into eyes, nose, mouth and ears. It has not yet reached such a stage at the Taj Mahal. We are lucky enough that they only emerge in the evenings when most of the tourists have left. I believe this problem can be managed - it needs monitoring, regular monitoring.\"AP Television Agra, India 25 May 2016 ++QUALITY AS INCOMING++     12. Various of green spots on the Taj wallsAP Television Agra, India 26 May 2016     13. Various of the Taj Mahal14. SOUNDBITE (Hindi) D K Joshi, activist and Agra resident:'What is happening with the Taj regarding the insects is this - due to the waste in the Yamuna river, the fish died. Earlier these fish used to eat (these insects) but now there are no fish and only algae is left. These insects are thriving because of that (algae) and these insects get to the walls of the Taj. And if you talk about your national pride - the Taj Mahal - this is a matter of concern.\"15. Wide of the Taj Mahal from the Yamuna river side16. Wide of the Yamuna river17. Rubbish on the banks of the river18. 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