Saturday, May 12, 2012

Muthawa in Melghat equipped with Solar water heater

Nature Conservation Society, Amravati's (NCSA) famous community resource centre in Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR) is now equipped with Solar water heaters. NCSA set up this community resource centre in 2006 to promote sustainable village development activities in MTR villages and reduce the biotic pressure on tiger habitat. NCSA is trying to showcase the rural development technology to tribals through this centre so that tribal people should adopt the technology.

The community resource centre is locally known as "Muthawa centre". Muthawa is a God of the Korku tribe.

NCSA has created a small camping facility near the Sipna river on 8 hectares of land and developed three nurseries including one of exclusively medicinal plants. Artificial water bodies have been created for wild animals and grasslands have been developed around the water bodies. It has actually attracted chital, sambar and some carnivores to this campus.



NCSA has planted many indigenous agro-forestry plants, an orange and mango orchard and other forest fruit species like chironji and custard apple. The plantation has come up very well and started producing fruit.

NCSA generates solar power and bio-fuel to run this centre under the guidance of energy expert Prof. Nishikant Kale. Muthawa centre has also installed some innovative items like sewage treatment plant, gravitational water distribution system, bio fuel plant, solar cooker like appliances, water conservation structures and spot feeding fence for livestock.

"Thanks to Wildlife Conservation Trust for their valuable donation to install this system", said Kishor Rithe, the founder of this centre.The 500 litre water heating system has actually increased the ecological contribution of this centre. We have now shifted from natural gas driven gas geysers to solar water heaters. 

Students, researchers and community leaders using this centre would enjoy this new facility, said Dr. Anil Asole, President of NCSA.



Thursday, May 3, 2012

Schedule of the MHU, April - July 2012





Note: NCSA has extended MHU services to Nagzira-Nawegaon proposed Tiger Reserve. The health camps will be run by Satpuda Foundation and camp expenses are funded by Wildlife Conservation Trust Mumbai.