Current Context: The Supreme Court of India has directed the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to assess the impact of glass industries on the Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

About NEERI

• Established: 1958 in Nagpur, Maharashtra (initially as Central Public Health Engineering Research Institute – CPHERI).
• Renamed: NEERI in 1974 by PM Indira Gandhi.
• Governing Body: Operates under Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Ministry of Science and Technology.
• Mission: Provide sustainable, science-backed environmental solutions for the government, industry, and marginalized communities.

About Taj Mahal

• Location: Agra, on the southern bank of the Yamuna River.
• Built by: Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1632 in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
• Architecture: Ivory-white marble, representing the pinnacle of Mughal architecture.
• UNESCO Status: Declared a World Heritage Site in 1983.