India's Supreme¹ Court has criticised the government for what it calls a "failure" to protect the Taj Mahal.

近日，印度最高法院批评该国政府未能有效保护世界文化遗产泰姬陵。

The court said both the federal and state government had shown "lethargy" in taking steps to tackle the monument's deteriorating² condition.

该法院表示，联邦政府和州政府面对泰姬陵不断恶化的污染情况，表现得“行动迟缓”。

The court comments came in response to a petition citing concerns about the impact of pollution on the 17th Century monument.

民众对环境污染为这座始建于17世纪的瑰宝文物带来的影响表示担忧，因此上书提案，法院正是对此作出了上述回应。

The Taj Mahal is one of the world's leading tourist attractions. It draws as many as 70,000 people every day.

泰姬陵是世界上最知名的旅游景点之一。每天可以吸引多达7万名游客前往参观。

印度最高法院批评政府未能有效保护泰姬陵

In May this year, the court had already instructed the government to seek foreign help to fix the "worrying change in colour" of the marble structure.

今年5月，印度最高法院已要求政府寻求外国帮助，以解决泰姬陵大理石结构“令人担忧的变色问题”。

The court had said then, that the famous tomb, built from white marble and other materials, had turned yellow and was now turning brown and green.

该法院当时声称，这座用白色大理石和其他材料制成的著名陵墓，之前已经变黄了。而现在表面又变成棕绿色了。

Pollution, construction and insect dung are said to be among the causes.

环境污染、建筑施工和昆虫粪便是造成变色的主要原因。

The government told the court that a special committee had been set up to suggest measures to prevent pollution in and around the monument.

印度政府告知该法院，目前已经成立了一个特别委员会，采取措施防止泰姬陵及周围环境的污染。

It has already shut down thousands of factories near the monument, but activists³ say the white marble is still losing lustre⁴.

当地政府已经关闭了泰姬陵附近的数千家工厂，但活动人士表示白色大理石仍然没有恢复光泽。