The `revelation' has been attributed to a programme on Discovery Channel. Repeated efforts of this reporter to contact Discovery Channel proved futile.

The epicentre of the quake is believed to be near Peb fort overlooking the Panorama Point.

Ever since the `news' reached Matheran a month ago, the 6,000-odd residents of the seven sq km-long hill station have been clearly disturbed, and many are taking precautionary steps to be able to withstand the ``impending calamity.''

Sushil Shinde, a local, said some residents are even preparing to stay away from Matheran in the first week of May, while others don't know if they should believe the grapevine or the governmentofficials, who have dismissed the suggestion of a quake as absurd. Calling the news ``baseless and unreliable,'' Superintendent of Matheran Pramod Godbole has appealed to residents and tourists not to believe in rumours.

Yet, there is animated discussion among horse-riders and rickshaw-pullers on the possibility of an earthquake, and they unfailingly make it a point to inform visitors of the concern about the quake. All the tea stalls on the far-flung 20 points dotting the hill station are also rife with the same rumour.

As a result, the tourist industry has been hit hard. The flow of tourists to the hill station during this season has almost dropped by 50 percent, confessed a hotelier, requesting anonymity.

Kisan Jadav, a small-time restaurateur, also admitted that not many tourists can be seen at the hill station this year. In all probability, he said, they are keeping away after hearing about the earthquake.

There are at least three luxury hotels in Matheran, and 70 other medium-sized hotels tocater to a floating population of 2000-odd tourists at any given time. An estimated five lakh tourists visit the hill station every year.

``Last year, around this time, there were hardly any rooms available at Matheran. But this year many of the rooms are still vacant,'' Jadhav said.

Strangely, nobody claimed to have seen the television programme on Discovery Channel. Everybody maintained his/her neighbour, or a friend's friend, had seen the programme.