Developers have been stopped from building a shopping mall close to the Taj Mahal. The development, which had received the go-ahead from the local authorities, has been curtailed by order of the central government, because of claims both that the mall would be unsightly next to this beautiful monument, and also that the embanking of the nearby River Yamuna would add to the desiccation of the Taj Mahal’s foundations. There is no doubt that the development would not have been appropriate so close to such an historically significant site. The Agra City municipality had clearly overlooked the effect the new building would have had on the tourist potential of the area, a mainstay of the local economy. But India’s economy is growing fast, even in states as relatively poor as Uttar Pradesh. The commercial genius of the Indians has been unleashed. In the rush for growth there is an increasing conflict with environmentalists and historians who are anxious to protect India’s natural and cultural heritage. The expansion of heavy industries certainly is causing pollution and at times threatening to compromise sites of great historic value.

While there are many Indians who deplore these developments, the main driving force for protest at these commercial threats comes from the rich Western countries. The harsh fact is however that the Industrial Revolution in Britain, which spread through Europe to the United States, left in its trail a mass of degraded environments and seriously compromised historic heritage. At the time polluted rivers, filthy air and disfiguring spoil heaps from mining were considered a small price to pay for the substantial wealth that came to these rapidly developing economies. The rich First World can now afford to be particular about its own environment but it surely stoops to special pleading when it demands that new economies that are developing vigorously today, should avoid the very same risky short cuts.

This is not to say that monuments like the Taj Mahal should not be treated sensitively. It does however suggest that as economies like India and China develop their significant economic potential, some understanding should be shown. In the end, economic growth will demand a compromise between the preservation of the environment and heritage and the requirements of a vibrant economy. With justice, Indian businessmen may suspect that behind the protests at the consequences of their expansion lies a reluctance by the wealthy West to let the baton of economic leadership pass from its hand. In time India will be able to afford the luxury of strict controls, as applied in today’s Developed World. For the moment, the authorities in Delhi have to strike a delicate balance between fostering and enabling growth and preserving India’s history and environment.