Taj Mahal is among the most popular tourist destinations in not just our country but even worldwide. Over hundreds of visitors pay a visit to see this monumental structure. Now there is something more that's rising as high as this spectacular marble monument. But it is nothing to pride about, as it is a mountain full of rubbish! The Ghazipur garbage dump in East Delhi has taken up an area of more than 40 football pitches. This rising dump and the pollution makes Delhi among the world's most polluted capital listed by the UN. What's also shocking is that the Ghazipur landfill was also compared to the height of Qutub Minar before. Ghazipur Garbage Dump is Being Compared to Qutub Minar, Check Out Hilarious Reviews on Google And Twitter.

As per East Delhi's superintendent engineer Arun Kumar, this landfill is already 213 feet high. And with the rate at which the waste here keeps rising, it will be taller than the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra by next year. The Taj Mahal is 239 feet high. The rising height of this landfill has been such a concern that last year Supreme Court warned of red warning lights to be put on the dump to alert the passing jets.

The Ghazipur landfill was opened in the year 1984 and reached its capacity in the year 2002. The area should have ideally be closed down by then. But each day over hundreds of trucks keep coming to dump the waste and the situation has only worsened. The waste dump has even taken two lives in the past. Although dumping here was banned after the incident, it lasted only a few days. Because of the methane gas produced in the dump, there are also regular fires that also break out here. The atmosphere around is also not safe for the residents in the nearby areas. They have complained of breathing problems as well. Some people have even had to leave the area because the problem of dumping has become so severe.

A recent study also found that people who were living near the dumping are were at risk of developing risky diseases including cancer. Despite there being so much awareness and promoting cleanliness, the situation here is not getting better in over a decade. It is indeed a thing that will put one to shame. Whereas on one side we show off our Taj as our pride in Agra, there is a rising dump yard that will almost surpass the structure in the national capital.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 04, 2019 04:17 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).