Activity Update October 2014: Pench Madhya Pradesh

Team: Saket Agasti – Assistant Conservation Officer

            Niranjan Hinge, Bandu Uikey – Field Assistants

 

Highlights

·      One voluntary work programme to rebuild a check dam near Turia

·      One voluntary work programme to repair a check dam at Satosha

·      Wildlife week celebrated from October 1 to October 7

·      4 nature trails for school children of Turia, Satosha, Aamajhari and Awarghani

·      Two environmental education programmes – reached 132 students

·      9  film shows on nature and wildlife – viewed by 482 villagers and students

·      6  medical camps at which 166 patients were treated

Conservation

On October 30, Niranjan led a team of 5 villagers from Turia to rebuild a check dam which was built by our team 3 months earlier. The dam was damaged by heavy rains during the monsoon. The check dam is located just outside Turia village and is used by villagers during the day and by wildlife at night. As rainfall was erratic this year, many natural waterholes have not been replenished and, therefore, check dams are critical in retaining water.

Turia - volunteers repair damaged check dam

On October 22, Niranjan led a team of 15 villagers and students in a programme to repair a check dam near Satosha village. This dam, which was built by our volunteers earlier this year, was damaged by unexpected flash floods during the monsoon.

The damaged mud check dam at Satosha

After repair

On October 28, Niranjan organized a nature trail for the children of Aamajhari village. On the trail he explained to them about the birds and wildlife common to the area. Similar trails were organized at Turia, Satosha and Awarghani villages on October 30 and October 31 respectively.

Aamajhari nature trail

Environmental Education Programme

There were 2 environment education programmes in classrooms during October.

Tuyepani school - Bandu Uikey giving a classroom talk on wildlife

Tuyepani school - students maintain a scrapbook with pressed leaves
to understand the local flora

Tuyepani school: a student shows her leaf scrapbook

IT Education Programme

Satpuda Foundation is running a programme to introduce computers to children living in the remote villages adjoining Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. This programme is being implemented on a pilot basis in Teliya and Turia.

Education Van Programme

There were 9 film shows on nature and wild life conservation during October.

Wildlife film screening at Khamrith school

Mobile Health Unit (MHU)

We held 6 medical camps in October, in which 166 patients were treated.

Dr Ravi More examine a patient at our free health camp, Khamba