New Delhi: Microsoft's grand dance event on the courtyard of the Taj Mahal in Agra on January 30 at the rollout of the retail version of its latest computer operating system, Windows Vista, has come under legal scrutiny.
The Supreme Court on Monday slapped notices on the Centre and the Archaeological Survey of India, asking for the details of the event. The SC order came on a petition against Microsoft for violation of environmental norms.
Under the Ancient Monuments Act, such activities are prohibited near a heritage monument. In fact, the Act restricts any such performance within 300 metres from a nationally protected monuments.
According to the complaint, the IT giant's event on January 30, 2007 violated the Apex Court's order banning such performances within 500 metres of the boundary wall of the monument. The complaint was brought to the notice of the court by advocate Vijay Punjwani.
The SC had issued the said order in 1998, when a public interest litigation was filed against a concert by Yanni that was held with the Taj as the backdrop.
The SC Bench, headed by Justice SB Sinha, asked the Centre and ASI to reply within a week to a news item published in an English daily showing a group of dancers performing for Microsoft's launch of Windows Vista early this year.
The court asked the government to give details of the Microsoft event and the permission granted by government agencies to the company.
Besides, the government has been asked to circulate the project report of a road-widening project, which proposed to cut about 3,500 trees on the road leading to Taj Mahal.
Comments
0 comment