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NGT Orders Action Plan for Matheran Horse Waste
21 Jul
Summary
- NGT mandates action plan for horse waste management.
- E-tempos proposal deemed insufficient by expert committee.
- NGT requires detailed waste management chain within four weeks.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Matheran Hill Station Municipal Council to present a detailed action plan within four weeks. This plan must address the critical issue of horse waste management in the eco-sensitive zone.
The tribunal found the council's proposal to introduce e-tempos for waste transport insufficient, as it failed to outline scientific disposal methods. Crucially, the plan did not incorporate long-term recommendations from an expert committee.
These recommendations, submitted on January 29, 2026, include reducing the horse population, relocating stables outside the eco-sensitive zone, and protecting water sources. The NGT requires the council to detail the entire waste management chain.
Horses are the primary transport in Matheran due to a ban on motor vehicles. The tribunal's order came after a petition alleged pollution from poor horse dung management.
The council's affidavit mentioned phasing out hand-pulled carts and introducing e-tempos and mechanized sweepers to reduce horse dependence, but the NGT deemed this inadequate.
