OURNAL - oikos.inoikos.in/html/newckfinder/userfiles/files/Research_and_Documentati… · Regional Plan for the Mahabaleshwar – Panchgani Eco-sensitive zone in 1983-84 for the period

52013-2014 JOURNAL OF ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Contents

1. Foreword 7Vishwas Sawarkar

2. Landscapes for Conservation of Biological Diversity with 9Focus on the Northern Western Ghats of MaharashtraVishwas Sawarkar

3. Management of Forests in the Northern Western Ghats 29Ketaki Ghate

4. Planning and Managing Hill Stations in 43the Northern Western GhatsManasi Karandikar

5. Urban Riverfront Management 59Dr. Swati Gole

6. Lessons from Velas : Assessment of Eco-tourism as 71a Model for Conservation in KonkanGurudas Nulkar


Planning and Managing Hill Stations in the Northern Western Ghats

Manasi Karandikar

(The author is Founder and Managing partner at Oikos for ecological services,Trustee, Ecological Society, Member – HLMC, Matheran (2012-2014))

Abstract

In a tropical country like India, where the climate is predominantly hot and dry, Hill Stations haveserved as great retreats for summer vacations. The hill stations are mainly service centers, providingcomfortable stay and travel for tourists. Being tourism destinations, the thrust is always given onincreasing the number of tourists. In recent past, tourist traffic at hill stations has increased significantlyand support infrastructure is being developed for the tourists.

The limiting factors that should have natural control over such development are overlooked. This hascaused irreversible damage to the local natural resources, ecology and support systems. Unless a limit onthe total number of visitors is enforced at every destination and followed meticulously, it would not bepossible to maintain aesthetics, atmosphere, sound infrastructure and ecology for these destinations.Importantly, desires and aspirations of local people with their skill set should be integrated in the overallplan.

In Maharashtra, majority of existing and upcoming hill stations are in the Western Ghats. Consideringthe ecological fragility of Western Ghats and various life supporting services given by this mountain range,ideally it is not recommended to have any large scale developmental projects. For projects that have alreadybeen approved, interventions to reduce current degradation & restore the near original ecosystem in the areaare now urgently necessary. It is important and possible to cater to the needs of local communities andecosystems and create models with economic benefits in a different way than promoting large scale areadevelopment projects. All future progress should be purely in the interest of maintaining ecologicalintegrity and not short-term economic value. This will need more detailed studies and change in policies.

This article uses case studies of two such hill stations, which are also notified ESZ (Ecologically SensitiveZone) in Maharashtra to illustrate the above considerations. The article also evolves a ‘Planning andManagement Strategy’ that could be useful as foundation for upcoming destinations to integrate theecological perspective in the process of planning and development.

Keywords : Hill stations, Ecology, Western Ghats, River origins, Natural resource management,Sustainability

Preamble

Prof. Prakash Gole was instrumental in some of thepioneering work in ecology, ornithology andrestoration. His understanding about history andeconomics combined with the landscape, ecology andhuman activities have put forward ‘Landscape-basedplanning’ appropriate for the Indian context. Hillstations by their character depend upon all thesefactors and their sustainable development will happen

only if such factors are considered in totality. It isimportant to look at the Landscape in a holistic wayand evolve Development Plans (DP) withoutcompromising the preservation of ecological orderand environment. Modern development mustconsider ecology as an integral part of the economy.

Prof. Gole was actively involved in preparing aRegional Plan for the Mahabaleshwar – PanchganiEco-sensitive zone in 1983-84 for the period 1984 to2001. He also guided a report on the Environmental

44 JOURNAL OF ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY 2013-2014

houses many of these destinations. In Maharashtra, allthe hill stations except Chikhaldara are located inSahyadri, which is a part of Western Ghats.

Salient Features

The two hill stations under consideration in thisarticle, Matheran and Mahabaleshwar-Panchganiregion are situated in Western Ghats. Both are notifiedESZ and have a strong policy to safeguard theecological integrity. It must be considered andaccepted by all stakeholders that it is the ‘aesthetics’and ‘climate’ at these places that will keep attractingvisitors. To ensure this, ecological development of thewhole region must be the most important concern.

‘Region’ in this context means a larger mix use areaunder notification. Each village or place has a differentcharacter according to respective location.

Matheran Hill Station

Matheran literally means ‘forest on the head’. TheGovernment of India vide notification No S.O. 133 (E)dated 4th February 2003 declared Matheran and thesurrounding region in the State of Maharashtra as the‘Matheran Eco-sensitive Zone (ESZ)’. This imposedrestrictions on industries and developmental activitiesin the zone.

This Eco-sensitive Zone covers an area of 214.73 sqkm and a 200 m buffer zone and includes the area ofMatheran Municipal Council and its environs,comprising a total area of 251.56 sq km. The Matheranplateau is situated at approximately 760 m on amountain top in a hill range separated from the mainrange of Western Ghats. It is about 48 km east fromthe Arabian Sea shore, and about 20 km away frommain Western Ghats range and experiences similarclimate as Western Ghats because of the higherelevation than surrounding region. The averageannual rainfall is approximately 5000 mm. The regionhas basalt as the predominant rock while the plateausare capped with Laterite, a soft, porous rock havingaverage thickness of 12 to 15 m. The plateau has mix ofLaterite outcrop and weathered soil profiles. Theentire zone comprises hill topography, plateaus, freefalls, slopes and deep ravines. Overall it receives highrainfall and has well-drained stream networks. Apartfrom the streams and rivers as water sources, thisregion, and more specifically the plateau hasnumerous springs.

The area is a mix of various forest types changingaccording to soil, altitude and rainfall, ranging fromMoist deciduous to Semi-evergreen. This forestecosystem supports a variety of flora and fauna

Conservation of the Matheran Plateau. These reportsand Prof Gole’s teachings is the inspiration behind thisarticle.

Introduction

The term ‘Hill station’ is used mainly in tropicalcountries where a break is needed from regular heat,especially in summer season. The varied topographyin India with seven main mountain ranges providesideal locations at heights suitably higher than plains inalmost eleven states. There are about 70-80 old hillstations, situated mostly between altitudes of 1000 to2500 m, barring a few, which are newly developed.

The hill stations were originally established anddeveloped in British period as their summer capitals,while a few were developed by Indian rulers mainlyfor leisure. Being visitor centric, these destinations arewell connected, have a central ’market area’, andmany have beautiful water bodies. This ispredominantly a service industry with somepeculiarities of products, locations or servicesspecifically associated with each such destination.

Hill stations are popular as gateways for holidaysmainly because of the aesthetics and natural beauty,situated at higher altitudes, climate, solitude andbeing away from city crowds. Interestingly thischaracter of being peaceful places is now beingsubstantially disturbed by the inflow of unrestrictednumber of visitors. Each state of India has a differentmountain range and correspondingly a differentcharacter for each of its hill towns. In peninsular India,Western Ghats offers a beautiful landscape that

Precipitating hills, plateau forests and tourist resorts atMahabaleshwar


Plan in response to increased tourist flow andcorresponding increase in density of built forms. Thisstarted changing the character of this Hill Station(Unwalla & Samant).

In recent years, the plateau has seen uncontrolledgrowth putting pressure on resources with moreextraction, pollution and waste. The local populationstarted increasing after 1960s, and reached up to 5139people as of 2001 census (Census). This numberhowever decreased to 4393 in 2011. The floatingpopulation of tourists continues to increase everyyear. According to references, the annual floatingpopulation increased from 1.67 lakhs in 1991 to 2.51lakhs in 1999 (Patwardhan). The growing economythrough tourism industry refuses to respect theecological limits necessary to ensure the naturalintegrity of the area on which it entirely depends.

Mahabaleshwar – Panchgani Region

The Government of India vide notificationS.O.52(E), dated 17th January 2001 declaredMahabaleshwar and the surrounding region in theState of Maharashtra as the ‘Mahabaleshwar –Panchgani Eco-Sensitive Zone’ (ESZ). It is spread over237.28 sq. km covering 58 villages.

Unlike Matheran, Mahabaleshwar has beeninhabited since 13th century. This also includes the oldtemple at Kshetra (Old) Mahabaleshwar. There weremany additions in later period by successive rulers. In17th century, Maratha rulers conquered the area andbuilt the fort Pratapgad near Mahabaleshwar. Thereare records of thick, dense forest cover in Jawali(Jawaliche khore) since Maharaja Shivaji’s time. DuringBritish rule, Mahabaleshwar was colonized as asummer resort in the early 19th century. General P.Lodwick explored the area in 1824 and the first cottagewas built in 1826 by Col. Briggs. After 1828, this areastarted attracting civilian visitors. This triggered theplanned development of public buildings, which wasstarted by the King of Satara. Interestingly, a treatywas signed between British government and the Kingof Satara to exchange the plateau with two villages inthe plains. (Planning Board, July 1984)

Mahabaleshwar–Panchgani is spread on top of themain range of Western Ghats and is one of the highestareas in Sahyadri with highest location at 1436 mabove MSL at Wilson Point and overall altitude of theregion at approx 1200 m. The region is wide enough tosupport a variety of development. The elevation, hillytopography, river valleys, ridges and plateaus withdense forests makes it a unique destination for naturalbeauty and ecology. The Mahabaleshwar plateau is a

typical of the fragile Western Ghats ecosystem. Owingto all this, the biodiversity is very rich and so is thefragility of this ecosystem.

It is the only hill station where vehicles are notallowed. Most places have to be reached on foot orhorseback. With this uniqueness, the area offers a verydifferent experience amongst dense forests, which isthe prime factor responsible for attracting visitors. Italso has a mini-train which has heritage value.

The history of this hill town traces back to 1850when it was first discovered by one Mr. Mallet. Untilthis time it was an isolated hill untouched by humanhabitation. After its discovery, this destination wasdeveloped as a hill resort in a systematic and plannedmanner. Almost all the present roads were laid out by1854 and construction of many houses was started thatincluded private houses, churches, infrastructure, etc.Charlotte Lake, the main water source for the resortwas completed by 1858. As the resort startedfunctioning, locals in the surrounding area migratedin search of jobs and settled in the area. By 1900Matheran was an established ‘hill resort’ with abazaar, hotels, houses, church, water supply, etc. TheMatheran train started in 1907 that connected it toNeral which made the movement of tourists mucheasier. Such steady growth was seen with changingpolitical and cultural conditions until 1975. However,the physical structure and architectural characterremained quite similar to the original. This period ofalmost 125 years saw a change from dense tree canopyto a hill town nestled in a forest. After 1980, the areastarted developing according to the Development

Densely populated areas in Matheran, year 2013


source region for five major rivers in Maharashtra:Koyna, Krushna, Venna, Savitri and Solashi.

Owing to the elevation, this region has very highrainfall and a cool climate throughout the year. Thearea in Mahabaleshwar is covered with continuousclouds and heavy downpour in the monsoon seasonwith average annual precipitation of 5900 mm. It haslush semi-evergreen forest. In Panchgani, theconditions are slightly different, it being farther Eastof the main Western Ghats range. With lower rainfallthan Mahabaleshwar of about 1865 mm averageannual, Panchgani has a different forest character,mainly moist deciduous with some semi-evergreenpatches. Panchgani, being in rain-shadow ofMahabaleshwar, has less forest-covered areascompared to Mahabaleshwar. This means that theforest character in this whole region changesaccording to the location, protection, and use byhuman population.

protection and climatic control they provide haveenabled India to sustain its position as an economicpower. (Planning Commission, April 2008)

The two major services offered by the Sahyadrimountain range or the Northern Western Ghats tohumans are,• Source of pure water: Major rivers originating in

the Sahyadri provide water to plains in peninsularIndia. A majority of water volume is contributed byWestern Ghats region. There are about 50 majordams all along the Western Ghats. Metro cities inMaharashtra i.e. Pune, Mumbai, Nashik surviveentirely on the rainfall in Western Ghats.

• Soil resource: Being ideal for soil production, thisregion which is a narrow 20-25 km strip providesthe soil and essential nutrients for farming in theplains.Other than this, services provided indirectly by the

ecosystem like maintenance of climate, pollination,medicines, food, timber, etc are numerous. It issignificant to know and recognize these services atlandscape level while developing a plan on the scaleof a hill town. Unless the ecological integrity of thelandscape as a whole is preserved, the desired effectswill not be seen.

Analysis and Problems

With this brief account of the physical, ecological,and historical setting of two famous hill stations inMaharashtra, let’s analyze the regions with respect tovarious associated problems.

Both Matheran and Mahabaleshwar plateaus areecologically the most sensitive areas. Being on top andphysically separated from the surroundings byprecipitating cliffs, they have a very uniqueecosystem. The only input it receives is in the form oftorrential rains and abundant sunlight. The soil isproduced here due to action of various factors bychemical and physical weathering. So it is veryimportant to conserve it at source which is the verybasis of why forests on top are so important.

The following points are common for many of thehill stations in Maharashtra including Matheran andMahabaleshwar. A majority of these destinations arein Western Ghats, which is not just a biodiversityhotspot but also an ecologically sensitive area(BVIEER, October 2010). The topography offersvarious scenic points and panoramas, overlooking theprecipitating cliffs and river valleys below andincludes waterfalls, old temples and forts, amongother points of interest. More than 50 % of the area iscovered with evergreen forest ecosystem supporting

View points - Lodwick point in Mahabaleshwar

Presently this region has two main urban centersnamely Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani. There is asteady growth in the resident population over the lastfew decades, with population of Mahabaleshwarrising from 10564 in 1991 to 13393 in 2011. (Census)

Ecological Value

Is it worth preserving the ecological value of ourhilly areas?

The mountain ranges and hill areas of India have acrucial role to play in determining the climate andphysiography of the country and are primedeterminants of socio-economic development of plainareas as the rivers have their genesis here. The


rich biodiversity, which also represents the fragility ofWestern Ghats ecosystem. Freshwater lakes have beenspecifically built as a water source and now serve asmajor tourist attractions. Numerous springs, many ofthem perennial, provide water throughout the year forthe local population. Such aspects are considered as‘natural heritage’.

There are several issues and problems related toHill Stations that have been studied by various groupsand researchers. There is a lot of related data availablewith individuals, government bodies, NGOs, andacademic institutes, though in a fragmented form.Many have also tried to give appropriate solutionsconsidering the ecology of the regions.

Here are a few factors impacting the ecology of thehill station destinations. Some of them are specific toMatheran or Mahabaleshwar, while some are general.

1. Poor implementation of Policy : Even thoughthere are policies and laws to protect ecology, theexecution of these regulations is a serious issue. Itis seen from many examples and the currentsituation that rules are not properly followed,creating large scale impacts on surroundings. Asan example, it is mandatory to have efficientwaste management systems be it Matheran orMahabaleshwar. However, in Matheran, thesewage created is just let down the cliffs or sent toseptic tanks at almost all sources. One must notehere that septic tank is not a treatment solution.

2. Increase in the annual number of tourists : Theincrease in number of tourists has now gonemuch beyond the ‘carrying capacity’ of almost allsuch destinations. The sheer increase in numbersdemands more infrastructure and supportservices. This directly or indirectly damagesnatural resources, increases pollution anddecreases aesthetic value of such places ofinterest.

3. Change in Land use pattern : More supportstructures for tourists results in substantialchange in land use. Comparison of land use atthese hill stations over last few decades showsobvious change from agricultural use to non-agricultural use like holiday homes, secondhomes, resorts, investment plots, etc. It continuesto cause severe degradation of nature and naturalresources. Land, once inexpensive, is becomingmore and more expensive with the increasedpurchasing power of the buyer. The attractivefinancial returns in property developmentaccelerate the squeeze on natural ecosystemseven further, thus resulting in a disturbing cycleof degradation.

4. Increase in construction : The tourism industryneeds a lot of infrastructure like means oftransport (roads, rail, ropeway, air, water, etc),lodging-boarding facilities, entertainmentoptions, food, etc. Creating this supportinfrastructure for increasing number of tourists

Major source of water - Venna lake, Mahabaleshwar

The ‘Land use plan’ for both the regions has a mixof private leased plots, residential and commercialareas, gaothan (village centers), hotels, supportingpublic infrastructure, agriculture and forests.Considering the history, both areas have many sites ofarcheological importance and thus come under ‘Builtheritage’ worth preserving. Interestingly, these builtforms, whether roads, culverts or buildings, wereresponsive to the local conditions of ecology andclimate, and continue to stand valid as ‘time testedtechnologies’ even after a century, despite highrainfall and rugged topography. Planning andexecution of such built heritage reflect the planner’sability to understand surrounding and design withenvironmental integrity in mind.

History suggests that hilly regions cannot supportlarge human populations since they have limited plainareas, limited availability of water and limited area forcultivation. The very character of hills cannot supportlarge-scale infrastructure. So the population in hillshas always been low with small settlements of one tofifty houses in a ‘wadi’. This entirely depends onspace and water availability of each settlement site.Springs have been developed by villagers since lastfew generations for domestic and farm irrigationpurposes. The highest spring location in the Koynavalley was found at an altitude of 1,340 m a.s.l. at OldMahabaleshwar (Naik, Awasthi, & Mohan, 2002). Inother parts of Western Ghats too settlements havedeveloped around springs.


has an adverse impact on natural surroundings.5. Real estate development : In recent past, concept

of ownership over land and resources in thesedestinations has increased. This also means thatdevelopers bring business, employment, provideinvestment options to urban population andprovide economic growth. This conversion ofagricultural land to non-agricultural (NA) is asper law; however it is also converting naturallandscape (slopes or agricultural fields andforests) into an urban-scape. It results in removalof biodiversity or at least reducing itsubstantially, increasing overall temperatures,soil erosion, and more such impacts.

6. Pollution : Both solid and liquid wastes haveincreased causing permanent damage to theecosystem and aesthetics. A study conducted inthe Charlotte lake catchment in Matheranrevealed that the BOD and COD levels of feederstreams were higher as compared to the controlsample. BOD of the control sample was 49 mg/L,that of the feeder stream 92 mg/L, that of the lakewas 81 mg/L while the acceptable limit fordrinking water is only 30 mg/L. (EcologicalSociety, January 2007) This clearly indicatesintroduction of sewage most probably by theresorts in upper stretches. Matheran does nothave any system of waste water treatment and allthe waste water is either released into forest areasafter septic tank overflow or let down the cliffs.The same is the fate of all solid wastes created inMatheran that land up unsorted and untreated inforests, streams, cliff-sides or in the dumping areawithin forest. The degradable part mixes with soilwhile the plastics and other non-degradablematerials either piles up in surroundings or areburnt, generating the toxic fumes.

7. Mismanagement or violation of rules andregulations : This creates impacts of variousintensity at all levels. At both Matheran andMahabaleshwar breaking of laws and policies isseen by all stakeholders. There are examples likeillegal constructions, keeping mules in forestareas at Matheran, extraction of wood, throwingsolid wastes, illicit parking, cutting of vegetation,land leveling and many more.

How much is enough is always an elusive questionfor humans. We humans seem to want ‘more’ all thetime and nature cannot and will not be able fulfill suchwants. So, along with analyzing the effects of variouswrong actions by humans, one may need to check

Plot development regardless of topography or nature

Solid waste dumping at Matheran is within forest andnear a natural spring, causing health problems and

forest destruction

what is at the root cause. The problems these hillstation destinations are facing are due to underlyingissues like :

1. Continuously increasing individual wants andself-centered approach of people at large

2. Vested interests of individuals and groups3. Ineffective implementation of policies4. Lack of long-term vision that will consider the

sustainability for future generations and even theimmediate future of present generations

5. Apathy of visitors to follow the rules6. Sheer increase in population at hill stations and

mismanagement leading to decrease in resourceavailability

7. Lack of civic sense, e.g. keeping these places clean


These factors have direct or indirect impacts onlandscape and ecological integrity. A majority of ushumans fail to understand that nature in fact is thevery basis of our life. Importance of Hill stations is notjust because they are tourist attractions but even morebecause they are the key sources of ‘Natural capital’. Agood example is of Mahabaleshwar, which is home to5 rivers which provide water to almost all of westernMaharashtra.

It is also a trend in recent years to open new hillstation destinations due to the earlier ones falling outof favor of tourists – primarily on account ofovercrowding and degradation. As an example,Lonavala, which was a favorite hill station for peopleof Pune and Mumbai, has lost its charm due to over-development and saturation. The holiday homes /second home schemes, villas, expressway, resortshave come up in a very haphazard way resulting intoa boost in property prices and degrading the naturalbeauty. Nobody would have imagined traffic jams inLonavala few decades ago.

In a similar way, Mahabaleshwar has changed itscharacter already and summer seasons witness watershortage and traffic jams. This is leading people tofind a new peaceful destinations such as Amboli,which is now becoming a hotspot of tourism and alsoreal estate. If history is what we go by, the fate ofAmboli is already sealed. The Government ofMaharashtra had also planned to develop ‘NewMahabaleshwar’. It is mentioned in their report for‘Tourism and Entertainment’ that ‘the main source ofrevenue generation will be through sale of land’. (MIS,2002)

The hill stations discussed so far are all public

Inappropriate construction & farm house schemes, Amboli

Serene backwaters are the next destinations for new hillstations - Mulshi catchment

destinations. With the ‘Hill station policy’, notificationNo. TPS. 1896/1231/CR-123/96/UD-13, dated 3rdSeptember 1996, private developers are able topurchase and develop hill towns. Two suchdevelopments are already in place: the Amby valleyand Lavasa. These private hill towns aim more atproperty development for sale, even while they lackthe hill station character of catering to the needs offloating population that other hill stations have aspublic destinations. Lavasa in fact has marketed itselfas a new ‘city’ ideal for business, education,hospitality and retirees.

So, it can well be observed that the tourism onwhich the economy of hill towns depends in the firstplace, is putting substantial pressures leading todegradation of the destination. Moreover, marketing adestination as hill station and then rampantlyengaging in it’s full-scale urban development hasbecome a new business tactic.

The clear reason for all this development isfinancial potential of tourism and propertydevelopment.

Ecological Impacts

Any developmental activity by man will causemodification in the natural landscape. Variousactivities that take place as support structure oftourism have direct or indirect impact on surroundinglandscape and ecology. These activities are carried outas present need, sometimes happen due to negligenceor even because of lack of knowledge andunderstanding of natural resources and processes.Sometimes the impacts of a small activity areaggravated due to topography and climate. Furthersection proposes to explore how better planning andmanagement can limit such side effect of humanactions on nature. Few of the impacts are,

1. Increase in tourism increases extraction of fuel


wood, being a cheap source of fuel. Even today,majority of cooking and water heatingapplications use wood as a fuel. This requiresfelling of trees and removal of dead wood. Thisslowly changes the vegetation character anddegrades the area.

2. Mismanagement keeps on adding to ill-effects ofany activity towards development. One suchexample can be seen at Matheran where majorityof transport happens over horseback. Here, it isobserved that trees die due to horse urine anddung, affecting a larger area of good forest land.There are more horses than allowed at Matheranwhich adds to the stresses of mis-management.While not using vehicles at the hill station is agood thing, there is a need to manage the waypeople move around better in view of queerproblems like the one cited above.

3. The road networks hamper movement corridorsof fauna. There have been several animal deathswhile crossing the road due to collisions withvehicles.

4. Effect on wildlife : There are many unseen,unknown impacts on local biodiversity while feware visible. Monkeys and langurs get attracted tothe waste dumping sites for leftover food andanimals are known to swallow plastics causingserious injuries. Open dumping also increasesstray dog population which starts preying uponsmall wildlife like bird eggs. Although there arehardly any studies or statistics on thisparticularly for hill stations, there are manyphotos, records & newspaper articles that provesuch disturbance.

5. Increase in solid and liquid waste in and aroundthe resorts and public places at hill stations hasbecome an unmanageable problem. Many a time,the solid waste is just dumped down a slope orburnt without any precautions, which is evenmore dangerous, as it introduces toxins in the air,soil and water. Further impact on the aesthetics ofthe surroundings is also another significant sideeffect of growing development on the hillstations.

6. The aquatic life in these mountain streams hashardly been studied in depth, and the impactstudies are also lacking. This means one cannotsay for certain, what are the impacts associatedwith such introduction of waste to the streams.

7. A general increase in infrastructure is result ofpopularity of a particular destination. Thisdirectly increases construction and related

activities like excavation, quarrying, terracing,leveling and grading. The increase in dustpollution and dust accumulation over the flora isa significant undesirable side effect.

8. Construction companies often take shortcuts likedumping construction wastes in the forestedareas. This waste cannot be digested and has avery long life. This causes further deterioration ofsoil quality.

9. Increased number of vehicles also means need ofmore space for parking. This needs additionalclearing of the natural forest areas. Even then anadequate parking space is not provided in mosthill stations. This means illegal parking on roadsides and further challenges to traffic movement.Such ongoing growth will eventually lead tolosing very large portions of the naturalunderstory to creating parking spaces.

10. Any change in the original topography donewithout understanding and planning will haveadverse impacts on soil by initiating soil erosion.

Massive gully formation, soil erosion initiated due tounscientific road work, Matheran


through sound management principles, charm andpeace in all such destinations? It seems a distinctpossibility if we base our planning on aspects ofLandscape and ‘Resource availability’. It istantamount, that the rules for development and use offacilities and infrastructure are indeed followedstrictly. Could such hill stations be economicallyviable, while maintaining the ecological integrity ofthe area? Even though this is not the subject to becovered in the current scope, it is certainly necessaryto initiate studies on how to maintain ‘ecologicalintegrity’ with ‘economic benefits’.

Planning and Management

With the understanding that maintaining theecological value will ensure healthy hill stationcommunities, let’s see what are the various planningand management considerations for existing or newhill stations.

The most prominent difference in old hill stationsand new hill stations is the older ones were settled byclearing primary forests, while the new ones are beingdeveloped over secondary forests and open scrubareas.

Basic planning of any such destination mustconsider various factors of ecology, its spatialdistribution, opportunities created by nature andlimitations imposed by the terrain. The developmentresponsive to such aspects will then have much lowerimpact on nature.

Each destination has a ‘carrying capacity’ thatneeds to be carefully considered while preparing anydevelopmental guideline for such area. This carryingcapacity depends upon a number of factors; the firsttwo key factors are ‘water’ and ‘space’ availability.Apart from this, it is also important to consideraspects like support infrastructure (mainly roads,public utilities, other essential facilities), maintenanceof aesthetics, waste handling capacity, pressure onresources and ecology. All these factors together willderive the number of resident population, number oftourists per year and respective support structure.Also, the type of tourism and visitor attractions needsto be responsive to overall character of the destination.

Management and Policy guidelines for ecologicalconservation

Policy framework

A review of existing policies shows somecontradictions in objectives, specifically for WesternGhats. E.g. there is a guideline for ‘Catchment area

Langurs visiting waste dumping site - not healthy forthe wild animals, Mahabaleshwar

Solid waste thrown over cliffs, Matheran

Matheran has seen massive landslides andassociated soil erosion. This is primarily due toroads and rail network, which provide access tothe hill station.

11. Change in wildlife behavior is also an importantimpact that we must be aware of. As an example,monkeys, who really do not need any food fromhumans, are tempted due to relatively easy accessto such food thus changing their food habits.

12. There are many micro level impacts onbiodiversity and ecology that go unnoticed asWestern Ghats are understudied for biodiversity.Long-term studies that measure such impacts arenot undertaken. Apart from just being datadeficient, it is quite hard to go through thebenchmarking process as the so calleddevelopmental activities proceed at fast pace.This means that the area and biodiversity keepson changing continuously.

The question is can we manage these hill stationsbetter from the development perspective and retainthe natural beauty of these areas? Can we maintain


treatment’ framed by the Central government forirrigation projects, which safeguards the dam life bycontrolling soil erosion in catchment. It is mandatoryfor the project proponent or respective governmentagency like Forest Department to submit a plan alongwith the total project plan for the dams (BadrinathForest Division). But with policies towardsdevelopment like the Hill Station policy which insame dam catchments increases development &induces soil erosion.

Fragile biodiversity is found in protected areas(PAs) as well as outside on private lands. So it isimportant to frame a set of guidelines for areas outsidePAs where land development over privately ownedlands is taking place rapidly. These guidelines shouldfocus on ecology & biodiversity conservation butshould not impose them on the local communities. Ifinnovative ways of ‘pay-back for conservation’ likegreen cess, waiver in income tax, use of CSR funds, etcare developed then people will willingly participate inconservation. But these pay-back options should beavailable to local, non-polluting, non-destructive,small-scale proposals than large-scale areadevelopment projects. Some organizations are alreadyinitiating such mechanisms on a small scale; they mustbe supported by the Government.

Even in the EIA clearance procedure, there aremany aspects that need improvements. TheGovernment should proactively impose rules toconserve nature while giving various permissions toprojects. It is also necessary to review the minimumarea criteria for developmental projects like farmhouses specifically in Western Ghats. Otherwise alarge number of small units will still end updegrading more than a single large-scaledevelopment. There are examples of such smallschemes spread over an area of 20 to 100 acreshappening in Mulshi catchment near Pune,Maharashtra, where NA plots of 2000 sq ft size aresold as investment plots with all amenities of roads,water, and electricity. Such development patternshave negative impact on existing ecosystems and donot add in any way towards betterment ofenvironment of the region.

Drafting more comprehensive policies will requiredetailed understanding of ecosystem dynamics, inter-relation with humans, current ecological status,restoration potential, use of restored landscape forfulfillment of human needs and its tourism value.

Sometimes it is also important to understand thelocal nuances related to hill stations. E.g. the residentsat Matheran hardly appreciate it being a pedestrian-

only hill station. For the locals, it is really cumbersometo live in an area which cannot be reached onmotorized vehicles while watching a world withmodern amenities and urban aspirations. This makesus question why have permanent populations in areaslike Matheran where the policy demands protection ofenvironment and ecological integrity while theground conditions are totally opposite. Such flaws inpolicy and ground realities are difficult to eliminatequickly. But it is essential to re-think and take aposition if the natural ambience at Matheran needs tobe maintained for attracting tourists.

Existing Hill Stations

Following current policies and regulations andforming new regulations essential for conservationwill ensure healthy environment for existing Hillstations.

1. Control on number of tourists per day: This willalso mean that there has to be a tourismmanagement plan in function with an aim todistribute number of tourists evenly over theyear. Proper planning will not reduce theeconomic benefit created by tourist inflow andwill reduce the stress on environment.

2. Efficient transport management: At Matheran,which is a special case being the only hill stationthat is vehicle free, private cars are parked atDasturi (the last point where vehicles areallowed). The existing parking plan is notsufficient for ever-growing numbers of cars. Alsothe parking land is under the purview of forestdepartment being a forest land. Many havesuggested alternatives to this like ropeway,parking at Neral, shuttle service to Dasturi, use ofgoods trains, etc which will reduce the sprawl ofin parking forest areas. A goods train is nowrunning within Matheran which has reducedpressure on Mules and hand-pulled carts and isproving beneficial for local residents.

3. Provision of alternative fuel sources. It isobserved that fuel wood extraction for servinglocal as well as floating population is high at anyhill station. This keeps on deteriorating forestareas as well as the degraded areas for extractionof fuel wood. If fuel wood is a basic need, then alarge scale fuel plantation on open lands shouldbe undertaken to reduce pressure on existingforests. Also other appropriate fuel sources likebiogas from solid waste or biomass, improvedchulha, etc must be considered.

4. The government DP (Development Plans) should


be responsive to the ecological factors and keepthe aesthetics intact. As an example, in theproposed DP of Matheran region, the mostsensitive Matheran plateau is shown as‘Urbanisable zone’ which is a contradiction to theabove-stated need of protection to existing fragileecosystem from developmental activities.

5. Environment friendly techniques of use, reuse,and recycle for water sources and use of localwater resources.a. Hill stations in the Western Ghats regionreceive very high rainfall (ranging from 3000 to6000 mm average annual) so water is abundantduring the four months of monsoon and thenthere is acute water shortage during summer. Sothere has to be a multi-source use method forcatering to the fresh water needs of the entireyear that will be based on seasonal variations inwater availability and use. For example, directuse of rainwater is possible during monsoon withsmall storage devices at multiple locations.Similarly, rainwater can be stored in largerstructures that will be useful for winter, andfinally for the summer season other centralizedsources like lakes, rivers can be tapped. Suchsystems will require careful planning andawareness amongst users.b. Encouragement to use local water sources andimprovement in the quality and sustainability ofthese sources must be undertaken to reducewater crunch in summer seasons. Many times it isseen that during hill station development,existing open wells or springs are totallyneglected and lost in the process. E.g. there aremany ancient wells and perennial springs inMahabaleshwar-Panchgani region. These wereharvested and used by the villages. Even the OldMahabaleshwar Temple where 7 rivers arebelieved to originate was based on perennialsprings. But new uncontrolled water guzzlingdevelopments of resorts in this area havedepleted these natural resources. There are manysuch examples in the region e.g. spring inGodawali village in the vicinity of Panchganitable land where over extraction of ground waterhave led to zero discharge from the old spring onwhich the village and surrounding farming wasdependent. Protection and management ofnatural springs and streams is necessary forfuture water security and must be taken aspriority for the planning process (Kulkarni &Buono, 2014). Spring and stream development

should also consider the needs of localbiodiversity.c. Generally as high as 90% of the fresh water isreleased as waste water. Re-use of treated wastewater for uses other than drinking will reduce theneed of fresh water to a great extent.

6. Nature-based, ethical tourism and localparticipation is perhaps the only sustainable wayfor management of hill stations and it makes surethe benefits of development will reach localpeople. Both have different advantages but willultimately safeguard the ecology. Due to thedirect benefit to local community, it willencourage them to conserve their surroundingsas the base for attracting tourists. It is possible toencourage participation of local people throughhome stays, hotels, restaurants, taxi, etc. In fact, ifmore of the tourist share is handled by homestays, the ecological footprint related to hotelsand restaurants will be reduced. A good exampleis set by Choukul village in Amboli wherevillagers have started home stays for visitors on asmall scale.

7. There should be guidelines for appropriate typesof entertainment. For example, having nightclubs, pubs and bars, casinos, and water parks athill stations will surely change the culture, type oftourists and indirect use of resources which istotally opposite to the ideal character ofdevelopment at any hill station. Instead,entertainment like nature trails, food joints,boating, horse riding, etc which is less impactingon character and ecology of the region should bepromoted.

8. Tourist information and awareness is a veryeffective tool for better management. Along withthe tourists, education of residents, owners andeven the property developers is required in suchsensitive areas. An ‘Awareness Program’considering aspects like ecology, landscape,biodiversity, cleanliness, waste management, andland management will prove to be useful inmanagement.

9. Aesthetics is important but unfortunately thereare hardly any guidelines on the character ofbuildings, signage, roads, and stalls. Recently, theMatheran Municipal Council developed amanual specifying do’s and don’ts for streetfurniture, signage, compound walls, etc which isa very positive move and it was also supportedby the Heritage Committee. This manual is forreference by anyone who wishes to develop


property at Matheran. Similarly, the DraftRegional plan for Mahabaleshwar-Panchganiregion, published in 1984, referred to the‘Removal of haphazard and ugly signage’ andabout the need for the local unregulated stalls tobe well-placed and better-designed. (PlanningBoard, July 1984)

10. Control of vehicular traffic has been widelydiscussed. It must be noted here that there arevery few flat areas in the hilly terrain, sotransportation problems must be addressed witha proper plan. A ‘Public Movement Plan’ needs tobe developed for all the hill stations to avoidtraffic jams. Vehicular traffic not only putspressure on roads and add to pollution but alsodestroys undergrowth of forest areas for the sakeof parking space. Parking is not considered anecessity during design stage at any of thedestinations. Thus, unofficial parking space isposing a serious threat to forest ecosystemaround scenic view points, in hotels orrestaurants and in public attraction places. Theideal path, of course, is to eliminate or minimizetransportation as much as possible in these areas.

11. There are people who continue with agricultureand horticulture for cereals, fruits, vegetables, etcin the Hill Station areas. Some regions have theirown specialty e.g. Mahabaleshwar is famous forit’s strawberries. But in the recent past, peoplehave started using plastic mulches for growingstrawberry and impact of general apathy offarmers to manage the wastes created after use orharvest is seen in fields, along roads and trees,even on overhead electric cables. One can noticeblack polythene fragments lying and being blownaway by strong winds in most parts ofMahabaleshwar. If this system of cultivation ismanaged with environmentally sustainablepractices then the destinations could be selfsufficient in terms of food. It is necessary todevelop organic farming that is local andleverages biodiversity. This will reduce thepollution and negative health effects due tomodern farming that uses harmful chemicalssuch as fertilizers and pesticides.

12. It is known that hill stations have rich forests. In1983, the Mahabaleshwar region had 52 % forestcover as per the land-use analysis. Scientific‘Forest Area Management Plans’ must bedeveloped in consultation with experts and localforest departments. In such plans, restoration ofdegraded areas, protection of existing high

quality forest patches, plantation of nativespecies, etc must be considered. People at alllevels, from local municipalities to visitors, needto be made aware for the need and ways toconserve forests.

13. The awareness for using only native plants for allaspects of plantation must be adopted and widelyspread amongst the hill station community. Agood example of wrong species selection is seenat Mahabaleshwar where the council has plantedBougainvillea and Datura arborea right at the edgeof forests along the roads. The question is willthis enhance beauty of already existing denseforest or suppress the beauty and growth of theforest as Bougainvillea is known to spread wildlyover trees. Effects of non-native species arealready seen in Mahabaleshwar forests and roadsides. Plants planted in gardens e.g. Datura spp oras fences like Duranta spp can become invasiveover a period of time. The herb Ageratinaadenophora has become invasive and replaced theoriginal forest shrub wayti (Thelepaepele spp).There are many such examples where variousstakeholders, including government departmentsare not aware of problems of introduction of non-native species and keep on planting such treesand shrubs for all sorts of plantation needs. Soawareness of preferring the native, beautifulplant varieties for any plantation or gardening isessential and required for preservation ofecological order.

Proposed new destinations

With upcoming large-scale, hill station typedevelopments in line, it is important to take a freshapproach for new destinations.

To start with, any new ‘hill station’ project,proposed in our ecologically sensitive areas likeWestern Ghats, should be simply re-evaluatedwhether it is even necessary. Such projects provideshort-term pleasures like bungalows, hotels, andtourism for a wealthy few among us. In the process,the entire long-term future of a fragile ecosystem getsseverely compromised. If the project is indeed goingto benefit only the rich and has no other benefits forthe environment or society at large, it should becancelled as a policy decision on environmental andsocial grounds. There should be no ambiguity thatprotection of environment and continuing welfare oflocal communities is a much more important prioritythan developing yet another destination for fun anddisplay of wealth by city-dwellers. It should be noted


reside in Western Ghats.Despite such a clear, unambiguous evaluation, if a

new hill station project is still approved, a strictplanning methodology should be followed to developthe hill station with integration of existing ecologicalconditions and maintaining or restoring the area asclosely as possible to the original working ecosystem.

By referring to the following guidelines, plannerscan carve out suitable spaces for low scaledevelopment expected at any hill station. Here, theratio of human development i.e. infrastructure withopen spaces has to be very low, as this developmentcannot be like cities where nature is allowed to take acomplete backseat. But the settlement has to besurrounded and merged with nature else it can’t becalled as a hill station.

Suitability matrix : Restrictions for betterexperience

1. Larger wilderness areas : The ratio of open areasto built-up should be defined. Considering theecological value of these areas, large proportionof land must be kept inviolate of anydevelopmental activities. As a general guideline,the area under natural forests (if existing or to bedeveloped under project) should be more than50% for older destinations and minimum 35 to 45% as per the terrain for private projects.

2. Slopes : This is the most important anddominating feature of hilly terrain. The availableslope to plain area ratio will determine footprintof human-centric development. Tending slopes inhills is always risky in the long run. For exampleany ghat road has risks of landslides duringmonsoon which happens due to instabilitycreated by cutting the hill. Even simple levelingof land in sloping, high-rainfall areas creates soilerosion problems. It also disturbs a number of

Bouganville plantation at road edges, Mahabaleshwar

Ageratina adenophora - invasive herb now competes withlocal vegetation, Mahabaleshwar

here that there are many other forces and reasons thathave been causing disturbance to Western Ghats rightfrom local livelihood activities to present market-driven development. For safeguarding the localenvironment, different policy approaches can bedeveloped that will ensure environment protectionalong with the welfare of small local populations that

A schematic suggesting ideal land-use for respectiveslopes


landscape units creating fragile areas for humansand nature. So any infrastructure developmentshould be planned on slopes from flat land i.e. 00

up to a gradient of 60 which is a developableslope, ideal for infrastructure like road,construction. Areas other than 0 to 6 degrees ofslopes i.e. slopes higher than 6 degrees spreadover moderate to steep slopes can be put to usesother than infrastructure. Considering hillytopography, this means that the settlement willhappen in lower portions, on flat areas on spurtops and in mountain top plateaus. These areasare small in percentage, which actually suits thekind of development hill stations suggests.

3. Water : Water availability is always low in hills.As the terrain is sloping, water tends to flow tolower parts and there are fewer chances ofnatural storage. As a strategy, small waterholding tanks with decentralized approachshould be planned. This will also reduce theimpacts of creating huge distribution system onsurrounding. Considering all this, the number ofunits and extent of development will be decidedby the available sources and quantity of water.This also means that treatment and recycling ofwaste water should be of high priority.

4. Landscape units : This dimension is added toplanning due to micro features on land.a. One of the main units is the ‘stream network’,the drainage pattern of an area. Being a highrainfall region, there are numerous small to largestreams that are carriers of fresh water. Theybecome an important feature for both nature andhumans. It will be appropriate to say that ifstreams are managed for nature, they willprovide many services to humans like,recharging of water, flood management, and acongenial atmosphere.b. Second important unit will be ‘Areas withspecial biodiversity’. This could be a single oldgrowth tree, a rare orchid or a patch of denseshrubs or Sacred Groves. They are important tobe preserved just for biodiversity value.c. In some areas there are few specialecosystems like the rocky plateaus (Watve, 2013).Two such popular places are Kaas and Panchganitable land. Both represent this special ecosystemand Panchgani table land has deteriorated due totourist activities. These are areas of specialscientific interests and in need of highly-controlled tourism which is essential to considerin planning. These areas are flat and could well

be considered easy for ‘development’. Hence thetemptation to build these areas out must beconsciously avoided.d. Scenic View points : They serve as touristattractions and can be developed carefullywithout hampering natural beauty. Examples areArthur’s Seat or Lodwick Point atMahabaleshwar. Many times these points arecrowded due to hawkers and illegal stalls owingto short-term commercial gain.e. One more important unit is agricultural fields.It is known that it takes 500 to 1000 years to forma 1-inch layer of soil. In hilly terrain it is difficultto find cultivable areas with good soil. So,conserving such areas for future food security iswise.

5. Open space management : Treatment of openspaces will decide the aesthetics and overallambience of the destination. Looking at theecological needs, all the open spaces should beplanned to have maximum tree canopyvegetation, be it a garden in a bungalow orresorts or public gardens.

The above factors will primarily decide the land-use, layout and overall character of the area. Add tothis historical and cultural aspect like temples, forts,and old settlements. Their character too will define theoverall layout to some extent. This suitability matrix isbased on a general understanding, which needs to bemade site-specific for each destination with deepunderstanding of local ecology.

With the above principles driving the base layer ofa general zonal plan, further detailed planning shouldconsider the following points :

1. Use of local and eco-friendly technologies whichare not intense on the use of electricity or fossilfuels

2. Understanding local needs and providing waysto use natural resources in sustainable way

3. Role of local communities, their traditionalwisdom and aspirations

4. Preservation of unique features like springs,ponds, and forts

5. Identification and integration of wildlife needsand their corridors

6. Restoration of denuded areas7. Architectural character responsive to climate and

ecology that facilitates low use of resources8. Themes, activities and attractions based on

nature or selection of amenities that doesn’t goagainst nature


9. Effective waste management systems10. Promoting ‘near-nature’ lifestyle through

planning and space utilization11. Using appropriate techniques for green areas like

selection of native plants, energy – resourcefriendly landscapes, leading chemical freegardens, creating habitats

12. Activities and opportunities for awarenesscreation for tourists beyond enjoyment

13. Understanding of construction and operationalphase, respective activities, their impacts andmitigation measures should reflect in planning

For this type of planning, a team of experts ingeology, biology, ecology, biodiversity, GIS, andplanning need to come together and conduct an all-seasons detailed Ecological Assessment (EA). The EAshould include :

1. Assessment of existing natural conditions ofhydrology and strata

2. Mapping of resources3. Detailed survey of biodiversity and its seasonal

variations4. Detailed mapping of biodiversity5. Identification of special and rare biodiversity

with correct locations6. Integrating survey results to create a map

showing natural resources and biodiversity withLandscape Ecological perspective

This final mapping along with the details of thestudy should be used as a base for all furtherplanning. It is easier and essential to follow such aplanning methodology for newly developingdestinations. It may also be used suitably for existinghill station destinations to assess what ecological valuecan still be saved, what type of controls should beintroduced on tourism and development, etc. From anecological balance standpoint, some of the existing hillstations have gone almost beyond repair at present.Matheran and Mahabaleshwar are fortunate to have astrong policy framework but for others like Amboli,the local leadership needs to play a very importantrole.

Conclusion

Consideration of ecology in planning all aspects ofhill stations through public or private effort, willdefinitely benefit both development and nature. It willprotect a landscape which will be sustainable over thelong-term and provide a rich experience to localresidents and visitors.

It is necessary to accept that aesthetics is the magnetthat attracts visitors to a hill station type destinationand will continue to be so. Aesthetics means thebeauty of the region with the climate and theambience it offers as experience. Such aestheticscannot be developed through manicured gardens,man-made plantations, or typical entertainmentconcepts. The ambience is easily ruined by haphazarddevelopment. Our existing hill stations have beenvictims of gross negligence towards preservation oflandscapes and nature.

Restoring the focus on ecological integrity andaesthetics means change in policies, formulation ofnew laws and active involvement of the public. It isnot necessary to destroy ecology for development butboth can go hand-in-hand with thoughtful land useand integrated planning.

List of References

Apart from following references, this article is alsobased on author’s own experience during last twelveyears in ecological land management and providingconsultancy for two large scale area developmentprojects, extensive travel in Western Ghats and at hillstations, also as team member for preparing theEnvironment Conservation Plan for Matheran, and asMember of the Matheran High Level MonitoringCommittee (HLMC) for two years.

References

Badrinath Forest Division. Catchment area treatmentand Eco-restoration of Impact area plan, VishnugadPipalkoti Hydroelectric project. Badrinath ForestDivision, Gopeshwar, Garhwal circle, Uttarakhand.

BVIEER, (October 2010). Current ecological status andidentification of potential ecologically sensitive areas inNorthern Western Ghats. Pune: Institute ofEnvironment Education and Research.

Census, Retrieved from : Office of the RegistrarGeneral and Census Commissioner (Web, 2011)

Ecological Society. (January 2007). EnvironmentConservation Plan for Matheran. Matheran BachaoSamiti.

Kulkarni & Buono. (2014). Spring Protection ShortCourse.

Mcharg, I. (1992). Design with Nature. John Wiley &Sons, Inc.

MIS. (2002). Report on Tourism and Entertainment.Maharashtra Infrastructure Summit.

Naik, Awasthi, & Mohan. (2002). Springs in aheadwater basin in the Deccan Trap country of theWestern Ghats, India. Hydrogeology Journal (2002)


10:553–565 .Patwardhan, D. A. Matheran Eco sensitive area: Time

to catch a positive spirit ! . RANWA.Planning Board. (July 1984). Mahabaleshwar -

Panchgani Regional Plan. Mahabaleshwar - PanchganiRegional Planning Board.

Planning Commission. (April 2008). Report of theTask Group on problems of hilly habitations in areascovered by the Hill Areas Development Programme(HADP) / Western Ghats Development Programme(WGDP). Government of India.

Unwalla & Samant. A comprehensive Heritage listingproposal for Matheran by Ar Kirtida Unwalla and ArSuneeta Samant.

Watve, A. (2013). Status review of Rocky plateausin the northern Western Ghats and Konkan region ofMaharashtra, India with recommendations forconservation and management. Journal of ThreatenedTaxa 5(5): 3935–3962; doi:10.11609/JoTT.o3372.3935-62.

End Notes

BEAG, (2009). Protection of Green Zone in theMahableshwar-Panchgani Eco-Sensitive Zone.Ruffords Small Grants.

Dandekar, P. (December 2012). Damning theWestern Ghats. Save the Western Ghats Conclave.SANDRP.

Kane, V. (Director). Just another death [MotionPicture].

Kumar, & Khanna. Globally Threatened Indian Fauna.Zoological Survey of India.

MoEF. (2001, January 17). Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani ESZ notification. India.

MoEF. (2004, January 16). Matheran ESZnotificaiton - Amendment. India.

MoEF. (2003, February 4). Matheran ESZnotification. India.

WGEEP. (2011). Report of the WGEEP.

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OURNAL - oikos.inoikos.in/html/newckfinder/userfiles/files/Research_and_Documentati… · Regional Plan for the Mahabaleshwar – Panchgani Eco-sensitive zone in 1983-84 for the period