NGT seeks Matheran civic body's plan for horse waste disposal before approving e-tempos

Horses in Matheran, where the NGT has sought a detailed plan from the civic body to manage equine waste and reduce its environmental impact. Pics/Nimesh Dave

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked the Matheran Hill Station Municipal Council to spell out exactly where horse waste collected from the hill station will go and how it will be processed before it considers allowing electric cargo vehicles, or e-tempos, for waste collection and transportation.

The Western Zone Bench of the NGT, Pune, found that while the council has proposed e-tempos and mechanised road-sweeping vehicles to improve sanitation, its plan does not adequately address the disposal and processing of equine waste or several recommendations made by an expert committee.

The issue is significant in a hill station that has more than 650 horses and ponies and where hundreds of families depend on them for their livelihood.

The directions were issued on July 16 while hearing an application filed by Sunil Shinde and another against the State of Maharashtra and others.

What Matheran has proposed

The municipal council has proposed introducing e-tempos for:
>> Transporting goods
>> Collecting equine waste
>> Reducing dependence on ponies used for goods transportation
>> Cutting the overall number of equines and the amount of horse waste generated
The council has also informed the Tribunal that the phased introduction of e-rickshaws in place of hand-pulled carts is underway in accordance with a Supreme Court order.

The question NGT wants answered

If e-tempos collect the horse waste, where does it go next? Petitioner Sunil Shinde said the Tribunal found this crucial detail missing from the civic body's proposal.

Equines being checked by an NGO. PIC/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

"During the recent hearing, the Western Zone Bench of the NGT, Pune, observed that while the civic body had proposed the use of e-tempos and mechanised road-sweeping vehicles to improve sanitation and waste management, its additional affidavit did not explain where the collected horse waste would be transported or how it would be processed," Shinde said.

What the plan still doesn't address

The NGT noted that the proposal did not adequately deal with several recommendations of the Expert Committee, including:

Horse population
Strict regulation and phased reduction in the number of horses.

Stables
Relocation of stables outside the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ).

Routes
Zoning of routes used by horses.

Water
Protection of water catchment areas from contamination.

Monitoring
Continuous monitoring for three to five years.

Waste disposal
Where collected horse dung will be taken and how it will be processed.

The horse transport dilemma

The council maintained that while e-tempos could replace ponies currently used to carry goods, horses would continue to be one of Matheran's principal modes of passenger transport. The NGT acknowledged this ground reality and observed that mitigation measures must be practical and feasible without adversely affecting the existing passenger transportation system.

Why horse waste is under scrutiny

The Tribunal referred to the Expert Committee's Environmental Impact Assessment Report on the impact of horse dung on:
>> Air
>> Water
>> Soil

The report concerning the Matheran area was filed on January 29, 2026.

Matheran's horse economy

450+
Horses

200
Approx no of ponies

350
Approx no of horse owners, or ghodawalas, dependent on the trade

250
Approx no of helpers dependent on earnings from the sector

Their livelihoods depend on transporting people and goods on horseback within Matheran

The NGT has directed the Matheran Hill Station Municipal Council to file another additional affidavit addressing the outstanding issues

Four weeks
Time given to the civic body to file its affidavit

One week thereafter
Time for other parties to file rejoinders

September 15, 2026
Next hearing

650+
No of horses and ponies in Matheran used as mode of tranport