Maharashtra's pavers: A threat to horses and humans alike

 After MMRDA replaced its original mud walkways with slipper clay paver stones, Matheran's beautiful horses are suffering from distal limb ailments, tendonitis, and bruises.

                                                                               Image Credit : Mid Day

Even if you are not a travel enthusiast, you have undoubtedly heard about Matheran at some point. The popular tourist destination is well known for not allowing motor cars inside its boundaries, with the only modes of transportation being horses, carriages, and now e-rickshaws.

However, a worrying situation is playing out today in the same highland station. More than half of the horses, who have for a long time been travelers' devoted companions, are now struggling under the strain of deformities in their legs and backs. The eco-friendly but cruel paver blocks that now line their tracks are making these majestic, graceful animals struggle, making their previously surefooted walks into perilous, unsure ones.

                                                         Image Credit : Mid Day / Pradeep Dhivar

As one climbs the picturesque trails of the historic hill station, one can't help but wonder if the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) may have unintentionally created a threat.

The Supreme Court placed a halt on future paver block installation in a key intervention in February of this year, raising questions about their propriety in this pristine environment. The crucial responsibility of generating a thorough report on an e-rickshaw pilot project has been given to the Matheran Eco-Sensitive Zone Monitoring Committee by the apex court.

                                                                                   Image Credit : Mid Day

460 horses and 200 ponies are currently used in Matheran to go across its beautiful countryside. But beneath the surface, the hardships of a difficult life are starting to become apparent. Earlier this month, mid-day visited Matheran with eminent equine veterinarian Dr. Anil Lahane, who had previously worked for the Royal Western Indian Turf Club.

Dr. Lahane explains the complex locomotor ballet that horses perform, in which their tendons, ligaments, joints, muscles, and hooves all work together to create the very essence of equine grace. The risks posed by the paver bricks are exacerbated by the treacherous landscape of Matheran, which features steep slopes and serpentine twists. Continuous contact with these clay paver blocks causes tendinitis, abrasions, and bruising injuries as well as leg abnormalities. These wounds, which ranged in severity from minor to life-threatening, have made a profound impression on these majestic animals and the committed people who look after them.

"In Matheran, I have noticed that all 460 horses and an extra 200 ponies suffer with slick footing on these clay paver stones, putting them under extreme effort and leading to injury to their distal limbs as well as severe back muscle pain. According to him, horses need a firm foot grip (FFG), which they can only get on soft ground. This reduces locomotor stress by up to 90%.

                                                                                   Image Credit : Mid Day

"Continuous walking on clay paver blocks can result in deformities in all four legs as well as tendinitis (injury to tendons), abrasions, and bruising injuries if they slip and fall on this harsh surface. Injury severity can range from moderate to life-threatening depending on the direction, style, and location of the fall. Both soft and hard surfaces can be injured, however treating hard surface injuries, particularly those involving head trauma or spinal injuries, can be difficult or even impossible.

Dr. Lahane and Asha Kadam, president of the Sthanik Ashwapal Sanghtana, both agree that there have been more accidents involving horses after the paver blocks were put in place. "More than 95% of horse owners depend on their animals for their livelihood, therefore any harm done to the animals directly affects the family's entire revenue. The paver bricks, which are inherently slippery due to the weather in Matheran, represent a serious threat to the ethos and history of the Matheran culture, which includes horses.

These paver bricks have unleashed a new threat on the locals and visitors of Matheran: waterlogging. When it rains heavily, the once-enchanting walkways now give way to rivulets, posing an unanticipated risk. The issue goes far into the underground realm and is not only limited to the nearby landscape. The delicate equilibrium of Matheran's groundwater system is in danger of being upset by the paver bricks.

The livelihoods of 350 ghodawala families and their 250 servants are in jeopardy as the wheels of change turn relentlessly. The future of these horses, ponies, and mules is thrown in doubt by the impending adoption of e-rickshaws. The very creatures who have carried Matheran's burdens for eons are now in danger of becoming obsolete.

"Around 1,500 to 2,000 people's lives and 600 animals' lives will be badly impacted as tourists and locals may switch to e-rickshaws in search of a more affordable option. Ghodawalas spend a sizable percentage of their income—roughly R11,000 per horse—on feed and horseshoes at their toughest financial circumstances. This financial load is increased by medical costs and vaccine costs, which can occasionally exceed Rs 15,000 each. According to Vikas Rajane, a horse owner and secretary of the Sthanik Ashwapal Sanghtana, "The horses are more than simply animals; they represent a lifeline, a source of nourishment, and the heartbeat of Matheran's economy.

When we were there, we noticed that a few of the paver bricks had given way to the weather, leaving openings where unwary horses might meet a bad end. The financial difficulties of the ghodawalas have been made worse by injuries from tripping over these gaps, including hernias, hydroceles, and damage to the knees and hips. Another shocking truth revealed by the horses' situation is the state of the government veterinary clinic in Matheran. It neglects to provide the necessary care that these gorgeous creatures require and is shutdown.

"Most of the time, there are no veterinarians available at the government veterinary clinic, forcing us to seek out private veterinarians when our horses fall ill or are involved in accidents," says Irfan Shaikh, a horse owner whose family has been in the industry for more than 40 years. The authorities have received multiple emails from us asking for basic veterinary services, but they don't seem very concerned about the wellbeing of these creatures.

Because Matheran has produced some of the state's top jockeys, Satish Nayak, a former jockey, believes the neglect and apathy are especially upsetting. This is due to the fact that we first ride horses on our red mud roads when we were little. Installing hard paver blocks is a decision that needs to be seriously reconsidered because it is bad for the horses and the people who ride them. Even riders have suffered injuries from falls caused by the paver blocks, not just horses.

Another horse owner, Laxman Shingade, is still getting over the impact of last week's injury to his horse, Sachin. "Sachin slipped on a paver block while he was down a steep slope. The man's front leg has been seriously hurt. Since my business has already been slow, I now also have to pay my medical bills, explains Shingade.

Only uncertainties linger in the air as the sun sets over Matheran's verdant hills. Why is the one that is the loudest? Why has there not been a firm action taken to remove the paver stones, which ostensibly have caused more harm than good despite the persistent and strident concerns of the locals? The most important query, however, is the one Shingade poses and to which no solution has yet been found. "Why, in the first place, were the tried-and-true mud roads replaced with paver blocks?"

News Source : MID-DAY