Ancient stones meet modern pollutants: How air pollution is eroding India’s heritage monuments

Air pollution in India is not only harming people’s health, it is also slowly eating away at historic buildings and monuments. Scientists have found that chemicals in polluted air react with stone surfaces, such as the red sandstone of the Red Fort in Delhi, causing black crusts to form and the stone to deteriorate. Similar damage has been seen at the Taj Mahal, where pollution has discoloured the marble over many years. Experts say weak enforcement of pollution control measures and rising emissions from vehicles, factories and power plants are major problems. While conservation efforts can help protect these heritage sites, real improvement will only come if pollution is dramatically reduced at its sources.

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