Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ)

Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ): Recently, the Supreme Court directed the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) Authority to appoint the Forest Research Institute (FRI) to conduct a tree census in the zone.

• About Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ): It is a designated area of 10,400 square kilometres around the Taj Mahal to protect it from pollution.

o Named "Trapezium" due to its trapezoidal shape around the Taj Mahal.

o Contains several monuments, including three World Heritage Sites: Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, and Fatehpur Sikri

o Covers parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, including: Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, Hathras, and Etah districts of Uttar Pradesh, Bharatpur district of Rajasthan

o Divided into four zones based on industry categories: Red, Green, Orange, and White.

o Only environment-friendly, non-polluting small, tiny, and micro-scale industries are allowed to operate in this zone.

o Conducts research and provides training to forest officers and forest rangers through its various centres across the country.

o Post 1988, after the creation of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), these training and research centres became independent institutions.

o FRI now functions under the ICFRE, which was granted Deemed University status in December 1991.