Why Maharashtra could be stargazers' delight soon
Maharashtra plans to develop international dark sky tourism circuits around the state. Eleven sites are already identified for detailed project plans
Maharashtra already has several dark sky areas with little or no light pollution, but these haven’t been certified by DarkSky International, the nonprofit committed to protecting the night skies for future generations.
The state government is working on an astro tourism and dark sky conservation sub-policy under the Maharashtra Tourism Policy, 2024, under which these locations will be certified by DarkSky International, and notified. “These sites and nearby areas will have regulations on outdoor use of lights to prevent light pollution at night,” said Sanjay Khandare, principal secretary, tourism, Maharashtra.
The government has identified around 11 sites, and work on preparing detailed project reports (DPRs) is underway. These include the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in Chandrapur district; Lonar Lake in Buldhana, the only crater lake in India formed by a meteorite impact; Udmal, a tribal-dominated village in Nashik district; and the Bhandardara dam in Ahilyanagar (erstwhile Ahmednagar) district. Other sites under consideration are Harihareshwar in Raigad; Toranmal, a hill station in Nandurbar district; Yawal East Range in Jalgaon; Melghat in Amravati; and Bhimashankar in Pune district.
The notified and certified areas will see infrastructure for stargazing and other physical infrastructure, such as access roads, said Khandare. This will be done through state funds or the public private partnership (PPP) route. The areas and nearby precincts will see lighting management and plans for artificial light mitigation at night (ALAN). Dark sky sites will also promote sustainable tourism around a low-cost model, create direct and indirect employment, improve the nocturnal health of forest and floral and faunal landscapes, and promote nocturnal biodiversity.
Shweta Kulkarni, policy strategist for the Maharashtra Dark Sky policy and founder and director of AstronEra Private Limited, an endorsed partner of DarkSky International, said the dark sky sites will induce tourists into staying overnight in Maharashtra, thus boosting the local economy. “Astro-tourism involves delving into the mysteries of the night skies, and hence, tourists will stay overnight in locations like Lonar. Research in the United Kingdom shows that investment by the government in dark sky sites yields double returns through astro-tourism,” she said.
The project will also control the ill-effects of light pollution, caused by excessive or misdirected ALAN, on humans, animals and the biodiversity at large. The Buldhana district collector has also formed a dark sky task force, and preliminary work is underway at locations in the Satara and Nandurbar districts, said Kulkarni.
Subscribe to India Today Magazine
Maharashtra already has several dark sky areas with little or no light pollution, but these haven’t been certified by DarkSky International, the nonprofit committed to protecting the night skies for future generations.
The state government is working on an astro tourism and dark sky conservation sub-policy under the Maharashtra Tourism Policy, 2024, under which these locations will be certified by DarkSky International, and notified. “These sites and nearby areas will have regulations on outdoor use of lights to prevent light pollution at night,” said Sanjay Khandare, principal secretary, tourism, Maharashtra.
The government has identified around 11 sites, and work on preparing detailed project reports (DPRs) is underway. These include the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in Chandrapur district; Lonar Lake in Buldhana, the only crater lake in India formed by a meteorite impact; Udmal, a tribal-dominated village in Nashik district; and the Bhandardara dam in Ahilyanagar (erstwhile Ahmednagar) district. Other sites under consideration are Harihareshwar in Raigad; Toranmal, a hill station in Nandurbar district; Yawal East Range in Jalgaon; Melghat in Amravati; and Bhimashankar in Pune district.
The notified and certified areas will see infrastructure for stargazing and other physical infrastructure, such as access roads, said Khandare. This will be done through state funds or the public private partnership (PPP) route. The areas and nearby precincts will see lighting management and plans for artificial light mitigation at night (ALAN). Dark sky sites will also promote sustainable tourism around a low-cost model, create direct and indirect employment, improve the nocturnal health of forest and floral and faunal landscapes, and promote nocturnal biodiversity.
Shweta Kulkarni, policy strategist for the Maharashtra Dark Sky policy and founder and director of AstronEra Private Limited, an endorsed partner of DarkSky International, said the dark sky sites will induce tourists into staying overnight in Maharashtra, thus boosting the local economy. “Astro-tourism involves delving into the mysteries of the night skies, and hence, tourists will stay overnight in locations like Lonar. Research in the United Kingdom shows that investment by the government in dark sky sites yields double returns through astro-tourism,” she said.
The project will also control the ill-effects of light pollution, caused by excessive or misdirected ALAN, on humans, animals and the biodiversity at large. The Buldhana district collector has also formed a dark sky task force, and preliminary work is underway at locations in the Satara and Nandurbar districts, said Kulkarni.
Subscribe to India Today Magazine
