Doctors from the Bombay Veterinary College treated nearly 100 horses at the tourist haven
Matheran, India's only automobile-free hill-station situated 110 kms from Mumbai, sees concrete-weary visitors throughout the year. But last Sunday saw an unusual group trekking to the picturesque hill resort.
A team of 12 veterinary surgeons from the Bombay Veterinary College, Parel, went to Matheran to conduct a free medical check-up camp for horses in the area.
"We have been conducting this camp annually for the past five years," said Dr L B Sarkate, University Head and Professor, Department of Surgery and Radiology. "Initially, we went there for our own research work. But when we saw that the horses and the horse-owners needed our services badly, we decided to help them by conducting these camps," said Dr Sarkate .
"Two months ago, nearly 100 horses died in Matheran due to a parasitic disease called trypnosomifis, which spreads through flies," said Dr Sachin Vende, surgeon. "We have collected the blood of infected horses for testing," added Dr R V Gaikwad, Medicine department.
"The health of the 800-odd horses is of prime importance, as there is no other means of transport here," said Asha Kadam, President, Ashvapal Sanghatana, adding the horse-owners had suffered huge losses during the monsoon.
"There is just one government veterinary polyclinic at Matheran, so this is a boon for us," said Bhalchandra Jadhav, one of the 100 horse-owners who attended the camp, with his majestic but wounded horse, Raja.
Though 25 operations had been scheduled, only 14 could be completed as heavy rains played spoilsport. "We did manage to treat over 100 horses for minor injuries, blindness, wounds, infections, anaemia, colic (abdominal pain)," said Dr G S Khandekar, assistant professor.
Dr S G Gaikwad, Dr Sanmat Jain have been stationed at Matheran for seven days for post-operative care of the horses and also for the daily cleaning and dressing, antibiotics administration and treatment.
About Matheran
'Matheran' means 'forest on top'
The hill-station was discovered by Hugh Poyntz Malet, the then Collector of Thane, in May 1850
There are about 800 horses and about 100 'human-rickshaws' plying in a seven-kilometre radius around Matheran
The scenic hill-station boasts of a toy-train service that has been ferrying passengers from Neral to Matheran and back for 98 years now
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