Microsoft Taj event under SC scanner

A dance event organised by Mircrosoft in the courtyard of Taj Mahal in Agra has come under the scanner of the Supreme Court for alleged violation of environmental norms.

The US corporation organised this dance on January 30 this year at a function to roll out the retail version of Windows Vista, its new computer operating system.

However, the event apparently violated the Supreme Court order in public interest litigation involving a concert by Yanni that was organised by Pepsi in 1997.

When a petition was moved against the Yanni concert, the court had ordered that no such event would be held within 500 metres from the boundary wall of the monument. The Ancient Monuments Act bars any activity within 300 metres of any nationally protected monument.

A Bench headed by Justice S B Sinha issued notice to the central government and the Archaeological Survey of India on Tuesday on the petition against the Microsoft event. The court has asked the two to respond to the petition by next Monday, when the issue will be taken up again.