Matheran horses may soon be put out to pasture, e-autos to come in

Giving a push to the biodiversity conservation of Matheran, e-rickshaws and CNG rickshaws will soon replace the horses in Matheran as the deputy commissioner (revenue) of the Konkan region has recommended to the principal secretary (revenue and forest department) to amend Section 43 of the Matheran Act. The Act restricts any vehicle, including motorcycles, cycles, three and four- wheelers to ply in the hill station to protect the environmental degradation due to pollution.

However, after environmentalists pointed out the increase in the density of horses, and extensive damage to the biodiversity due to their harmful excreta, officials are planning to opt for non-polluting vehicles like e-rickshaws and CNG rickshaws for the hill station.

Deputy commissioner (revenue) Bhausaheb Dhandge from the Konkan region has sent a letter to senior officials stating that after considering the condition of the hill station, they have recommended to change the existing Matheran Act to include and alteration in Para (n) of notification released by Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change, New Delhi, on March 4, 2003.

Mumbai-based environmentalists, involved in submitting a report to the local authorities about the harm done by horse excreta and urine, welcomed the move.

“The horse dung and urine which have a high concentration of nitrate have become a bane for the biodiversity of the hill station,” said an environmentalist, on the condition of anonymity.