Matheran: School kids engage in cleaning the valley after tourists leave behind trash

Hills of garbage on the hill station; Monkeys and Matheran go together; The rubbish left behind by tourists

Mumbai's Rashna Imhasly-Gandhy has been enjoying the sun slip away in a blaze of orange tinged with yellow and red at Sunset Point, Matheran. Like the hordes of tourists, many from Mumbai and Gujarat, the psychologist-author is wrapping up 2024 at a stunning property co-inherited from her great-grandfather. It is located at the last house on Porcupine Point, now famously known as Sunset Point in Matheran. Said Imhasly-Gandhy, "Since childhood, it has been our family ritual to visit the point every evening to watch the sunset. On full moon nights, as the sun sets in the West, one can witness an almost golden moon rising in the East above Panorama Point. This magical interplay of nature has been a source of unending joy and wonder."

Uplifting experience

One day before Christmas though, on Tuesday, December 24, Imhasly-Gandhy witnessed something that made her heart sing. She said, "At Sunset Point, a large group of school children, both boys and girls - I learnt they were local students all looking like they were under-12 - accompanied by their teacher, had walked up from the valley below Matheran, and were actively cleaning up the litter from various points. I approached their teacher to congratulate him on this fantastic initiative. It reaffirmed my belief that true change begins when we teach our children to care for the environment. Only then can we hope to change the unconscious disregard with which waste is treated in our society."

Rashna Imhasly-Gandhy, psychologist and author

Deterioration

As a regular visitor to the red mud hill station or ‘Forest on the Hill' as Matheran translates to, Imhasly-Gandhy said she has witnessed a slow "deterioration" of one of Mumbai's most cherished getaways. She said, "The iconic rock at the end of the promontory has been enclosed by railings, which are taller than the human eye. This development has marred the experience of the breathtaking views, now seen only through these caged barriers. Even these railings have been vandalised by visitors over time. Many roads leading to various viewpoints are in equally poor condition, rendering it almost impossible for nature lovers to enjoy the serene horse rides through the wooded landscape."

Mounting garbage

To compound the situation is the mounds of rubbish that tourist traffic leaves behind. The psychologist said, "Earlier, when bottled water wasn't commonplace, visitors carried their own reusable bottles to various viewpoints. Sadly, with the growing number of tourists, the sight of empty water bottles and snack wrappers all through is very common. Vendors selling water and snacks have inadvertently contributed to this problem. On my walks to Sunset Point, it has become my habit to collect discarded bottles and trash along the way. My husband humorously nicknamed me the ‘Kachrawali of Matheran'. However, this situation is no laughing matter. The metal waste bins once installed at the viewpoints are now in a state of utter disrepair. These children who cleaned at various points will go back and tell their parents, I am sure about cleanliness. The key to green preservation lies in instilling awareness in children. We can begin with them. Slowly, we may see change. Trashy tourists here is what the kids who are learning life lessons out of class can teach you," she signed off.