Activity Update March 2013: Kanha

Team: Amit Awasthi – Conservation Officer

            Sampathlal Dhurve – Field assistant

           

Highlights

• 7 livestock management workshops in 7 villages 
• 5 awareness programme on forest fires and eco- friendly Holi  in 5 villages
• 2 vermi- compost tanks constructed in 2 villages
• 3 voluntary work project programmes to clean areas next to hand pumps/wells
• 1 voluntary work project programme to clean and repaint village temple
• 2 anti-plastic programmes in 2 villages
• 2 unemployed youths placed in jobs with resorts 
• 2 nature trails for village children
• Environment education  programme conducted in 11 schools - attended by 390 students

Conservation work

During March, Satpuda Foundation, at the request of the Field Director, organized seven workshops on livestock management. At these workshops, Mr Ravi Patil, a livestock management expert based at Chandur Bazaar of Amravati District, explained to villagers various aspects of livestock management such as how to maintain their health, stall-feeding techniques, dairy farming techniques, and basics of veterinary medicine. The Field Director of Kanha, Shri J S Chouhan, had asked us to organize these workshops as there is strong grazing pressure on the Tiger Reserve from cattle. Details of the workshops are given in the table above.

Dhamangaon - Ravi Patil speaks to villagers about livestock management

Chapri -Kanha Field Director J S Chouhan speaks to Ravi Patil
during the livestock management workshop

Khatiya - Amit speaks to villagers at the workshop on livestock management

Khatiya - workshop on livestock management

With the onset of summer, we have started to organize awareness programmes on forest fires – the harmful effects of the fires on nature and wildlife and how to prevent or contain them. Villagers sometimes start fires deliberately to clean the growth from the forest floor. Once the bush has been burnt, it becomes easier for them to spot and pick mahua flowers which fall to the ground during this season. Villagers collect the mahua flowers, dry them and sell them to local traders. This is a seasonal activity, which normally lasts a month or so. Villagers also say that tendu leaves which sprout after such fires are superior in quality and command better prices from traders. These local fires sometimes escalate into large scale forest fires and cause severe damage. It is, therefore, necessary to make villagers aware about the dangers of forest fires and explain to them the need to join hands in fighting this menace.

Kutwahi - Amit speaks to villagers about forest fires

Details of the awareness programmes are given in the table above. The Range Officer (Khatiya), Ms Anshu Alice Barwa, was present at the programme at Manegaon.

In March, we also organized programmes on celebrating Holi in an eco-friendly manner. Holi is a major Hindu festival and is normally celebrated by people splashing water and colours on each other. Normally, a lot of water is wasted and chemicals in the colours contaminate the soil and water bodies. Further, on the eve of Holi, bonfires are lit and branches and trees are cut for firewood. In our programmes, we explained the harm that is caused to the environment by such activities and encouraged people to celebrate the festival in a more eco-friendly manner. Instead of using firewood, villagers are advised to burn rubbish and waste materials.

Chapri - stack of waste materials for the Holi bonfire

We also assisted two villagers in preparing a vermi-compost tank each as part of our goal to encourage organic farming. One tank was prepared in the residence of Bhaddu Markam at Patpara and the other at the residence of Ratiram Markam of Sautiya.

Patpara - Bhaddu Markam next to vermi-compost tank set up with our help

During March, our team also organized 2 programmes to clean soak pits and areas next to hand pumps at Chapri (March 15) and Batwar (March 17). In both cases, the soak pits were clogged with litter and were overflowing. 

Chapri - villagers clean soak pit next to hand pump

On March 22, we organized a similar programme at Patpara to clean the surroundings around a well used to draw drinking water.

Patpara - waterhole created to take spillover water from well

As part of our strategy to engage communities, we organized a programme to clean and repaint the village temple at Chapri on March 24. 13 youths from the village joined Amit and Sampath in this programme.

Chapri - cleaning the village temple

Chapri - painting the temple

On March 11, our team organized an anti-plastic programme at Batwar. Amit and Sampath spoke to the students of the primary school about the harmful impact of plastic/polythene on the environment and motivated them to remove such litter from the village. The students went around the village, collecting plastic and polythene litter/waste, which was then buried in a pit on the outskirts of the village. A similar programme was organized at Patpara on March 18.

Batwar - primary school children collect plastic waste

Education

During the month our team organized environment education programmes in 11 schools in the villages in our area of operations.

Environment education programme at Kutwahi primary school

Amit and Sampath led children of Batwar and Kutwahi on nature trails on March 25 and March 29 respectively. On the trails, they helped children identify various species of plants and animals and explained the importance of preserving our environment.

Kutwahi - children pose after the nature trail

Employment Cell

We helped two youths get jobs during the month of March.

Ramcharan Uikey of Kutwahi at the resort where he got a job

Our Kanha team has been encouraging local villagers to take up vegetable farming on a commercial basis in a bid to help them generate additional income. There is scope for commercial farming of vegetables due to the large number of hotels and resorts around Kanha. Tulsiram Byam of Chapri earned 1,500/- rupees in March. Pappu Nanda and Paramanand Nanda (of Kutwahi) have earned around Rs 500/- per week in March. Ramprakash Pusam of Batwar earned around 200/- rupees in March. These earnings represent additional income to them.