Raigad-based varsity to study environmental damage caused by horses at Matheran
Raigad-based Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University will study the environmental damage caused by horse dung and movement of the animal at Matheran
PUNE: The Raigad-based Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University (DBATU) will study the environmental damage caused by horse dung and the movement of horses at Matheran. The DBATU was appointed as expert agency after a presentation made before the joint committee appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to conduct the study and recommend measures to minimise the impact.
The western bench of the NGT in October 2024 constituted a three-member committee to assess the environmental damage caused by horses used for tourism purposes at Matheran hill station. The tribunal asked the panel to recommend preventive measures after the site visit.
Accordingly, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), as the nodal agency, constituted a joint committee in November 2024. The committee comprises members from the ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEFCC), MPCB, and the Matheran Municipal Council.
The joint committee conducted a site visit on November 26, 2024, to assess the environmental impact at key locations in Matheran. A primary report on the same was submitted before the court by the committee on December 21, which was recently uploaded. The report stated that the committee inspected major areas associated with horse movement and parking, including Charlotte Lake, Simpson Park, the main marketplace, major streets, the bio-methanation plant, and the solid waste dump yard. The joint committee observed a significant accumulation of dried horse dung, in fibrous form, along the roadside, as well as dust on unpaved portions of the roads caused by horse movement. Additionally, there is a considerable likelihood of storm-water contaminated with horse and urine from the Matheran area, flowing downstream into water reservoirs and tanks. The report of the committee is yet to be submitted before the tribunal.
To comprehensively assess the environmental damage caused by the movement of horses and recommend measures to mitigate its impact, a detailed study by a reputed scientific institute, as directed by the NGT, is deemed essential, stated the joint committee. Therefore, the MPCB invited proposals from five expert institutes for conducting a study namely Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University (DBATU), Mangaon, Raigad district; department of environmental science, Fergusson College, Pune; and Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Environment Education and Research, Pune. The joint committee, along with the joint director (APC) of the MPCB, conducted a meeting via video conferencing on December 10, 2024. Presentations were delivered by the institutions for the appointment of an expert agency. After a detailed evaluation, the committee appointed the Raigad-based university as expert agency for this study.
This decision was based on the technical and financial details provided, as well as the agency’s prior experience in handling matters before the NGT and other courts. The expected timeframe for completing the study is eight weeks from the date of appointment, said a senior officer of the MPCB requesting anonymity.
