New Delhi, Feb 17 (IANS): The National Green Tribunal on Friday slapped fines on Uttar Pradesh government agencies for not replying to a plea claiming that large-scale garbage burning is turning the Taj Mahal yellow.

The Tribunal had asked the state government's Urban Development ministry, Agra municipal authority and its District Magistrate to pay a fine of Rs 20,000 to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The decision came after an NGO named Social Action for Forest and Environment (SAFE) claimed that a joint report of IIT-Kanpur, Georgia Institute of Technology and University of Wisconsin has revealed that the dust and carbon produced from the large-scale municipal solid waste burning is turning the Taj Mahal's white marble yellow.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar earlier sought a reply from the concerned authorities regarding the same. The bench has given a last opportunity to the authorities to file the response.

"Let reply be filed within two weeks subject to payment of Rs 20,000 each as cost to CPCB," the bench said.