That the drinking water contamination in Mahabaleshwar is due to horse excreta entering Venna lake has been established by the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE) in its health risk assessment research report, which mentions seven contagious diseases caused by animal waste; all of which are present in the patients’ medical records of the Red Cross Hospital (RCH), Mahabaleshwar and private clinics.
While it would seem a bit too exaggerated that any government authority would promptly act upon a research study report, in the case of the Mahabaleshwar drinking water contamination issue, the project was proposed by the Mahabaleshwar Municipal Council to the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics and hence the latter’s findings are being apparently taken seriously.
Can you believe that the excreta of a mere 170 horses in Mahabaleshwar is severely threatening the health of seven to eight lakh tourists who patronise this popular hill station annually? But the good news is that it is possible to eradicate this health menace, primarily by banning horse rides around Venna lake.
The picturesque Venna lake (that doubles up as a dam and is the main source of drinking water) greets you as you enter Mahabaleshwar, the most popular tourist destination of Western Maharashtra; be sure that its shimmering surface hides life-threatening viruses and bacteria, causing a serious high health risk to visitors and its residents.
The study was by Priti Mastakar, Kakali Mukhopadhyay, Rajas Parchure and others at the Centre for Sustainable Development at Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics.