Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Activity Update March 2016: Kanha



Highlights:

 Bantu Das got a job at Green Valley Resort, Mocha,
through our Employment Highlights:
Shukhlal Uikey of Patpara, who got a job with our help 
                                       at Kanha Resort, Mocha  


Batwar - Hand pump site before our programme to clean the area

Batwar - Volunteers prepare soak pit 
Batwar - Hand pump site after our programme to clean it






















































Chhapri - the site before our programme to create a waterhole


Working on the waterhole




Chapri -  The waterhole completed by our team




Add captionKutwahi - Students watch film on nature
and wildlife conservation.
Kutwahi - Vegetable patch set up by Mungiya Bai with our help 


Manegaon - Compost pit dug in Sukhman Dhurwey's backyard

Manegaon - Plastic litter collected in anti-plastic programme
organised by us

Manegaon - Village children collect plastic litter
in anti-plastic programme

Patpara - Conservation slogan painted on wall by our team
to promote awareness about environment protection

Patpara - Conservation slogan painted on wall by our team



Patpara - Sampath speaks to students of village school
about nature and wildlife
Patpara- Students of village school set off on conservation rally
 on World Wildlife Day





















































THE FULL REPORT:


Team: Amit AwasthiConservation Officer
            Sampathlal Dhurve – Field assistant
           
Highlights   
                                                                                                                    
·      Two voluntary works for community assistance – area next to hand pump at Batwar cleaned and soak pit dug; 1 water tank dug at Lamti Budbudi nallah on world water day  in Chapri
·      3 compost pits prepared in 3 villages
·      Painting of conservation slogans on walls in 4 villages  
·      2 programmes on how to celebrate Holi in eco-friendly manner
·      2 anti-plastic programmes
·      World wildlife Day celebrated with conservation rally at Patpara and nature trail at Kutwahi
·      Environment education programme conducted in 12 schools – attended by 339 students
·      7 film shows on nature and wildlife – attended by 314 students
·      2 unemployed youths get jobs with our help
                      

 Conservation 
























On March 13, Sampath led a team of 9 people in a programme to clear wild growth around a hand pump at Batwar. Wild growth had proliferated around the hand pump and access to the hand pump was affected. Our team, which comprised 5 youths and 4 women from the village, removed the wild growth and cleaned the area and make a soak pit.

In water conservation work, we organized a programme to construct a water tank on March 22. The site of the water-tank was Lamti near Budbudi nallah, a stream adjoining the jungle around 0.5 km from Chapri village. Thirteen villagers, including unemployed youths and village elders comprised the team which built the tank. Wildlife and domestic livestock will both benefit from this water body. Tigers, sloth bears and sambar deer are spotted regularly in the area.

Our team encourages organic farming as part of our strategy to reduce the impact of chemical fertilisers on fields adjoining prime wildlife areas. Part of our work includes assistance to villagers in setting up vermi-compost tanks and compost pits. During March, we helped 3 villagers dig compost pits – Patiram Dhurwey of Chapri on March 11, Sukhman Dhurwey of Manegaon on March 16, and Aamo Bai Maravi of Batwar on March 28.    

During the month, we arranged for conservation slogans to be painted on walls of houses in prominent places in 4 villages to promote awareness about conservation.

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, 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 or cow dung. We organized 2 programmes on March 22 at Manegaon and Chapri.

On March 8, our team organized an anti-plastic programme at Dhamangaon. Sampath spoke to the villagers of the village about the harmful impact of plastic/polythene on the environment and motivated them to remove such litter from the village. The team of villagers and students went around the village, collecting plastic and polythene litter/waste, which were then buried in a pit on the outskirts of the village. A similar anti-plastic programme was organized at Manegaon on March 12. 

On March 2, World Wildlife Day, our team organized a function at Government Middle School, Patpara, to promote awareness about wildlife conservation. As part of our programme, we organized a rally in which around 40 students walked through the village, chanting slogans for wildlife and nature conservation. Forest Guard (Mocha) Bhaghirath Singh Kakodiya and teachers of the Middle School and Primary School participated along with the students. A similar programme was organized at Kutwahi where Amit and Sampath led children on nature trails. On the trails, they helped children identify various species of plants and animals and explained the importance of preserving our environment.

Education  

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

 
Education van programme

There were 7 film shows on nature and wildlife conservation in March.










Livelihood programmes


As part of our programme to reduce pressure on forests, we have been encouraging villagers to take up alternative livelihood options. In Kanha, we have been encouraging villagers to take up vegetable farming as there are several resorts around Mocha and there is a steady flow of tourists who require fresh vegetables. Over the past 2 years, we have assisted around 30 villagers in taking up vegetable farming and they are earning around 500-1,000 rupees a week in additional income. The vegetable patches are typically of small size and located in the backyards of the residences. Some villagers have now got enough confidence to expand and are planning to use part of their farm land for this activity. 

Employment Cell

We helped 2 youths get jobs during the month of March.



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