Activity Update April 2019: Kanha

Highlights:

Micro-plans prepared to promote sustainable development in villages

Batwar - Women's SHG on a rally to promote awareness about conservation

Khatiya - Poster put up by us to promote awareness about tiger conservation

Patpara - Seeds of local plants collected by villagers.
These will be planted during the monsoon.

Samaiya - Amit Awasthi conducts an awareness programme on forest fires

Details:

THE FULL REPORT

Team: Amit Awasthi – Conservation Officer

            Sampat Dhurve – Field assistant

           

 Highlights  

·      Completed 7 micro-plans for buffer zone villages

·      1 waterhole prepared at Budbudi nallah in Chapri

·      Awareness campaign for tiger conservation on Navratri festival

·      Awareness rally on tiger conservation with women's Self-Help Groups  in Batwar

·      Assisted 16 villagers in applying for LPG connections under Ujjwala Yojana

·      Assisted 5 Baiga tribal farmers in getting solar-powered irrigation pumps

·      4 awareness programs on forest fires

·      Helped make arrangements for drinking water in Bhagpur

·      Seed collection done by villagers for use in proposed monsoon plantation program

·      Installed water pots for birds in 3 villages

·      Environment education program conducted in 6 schools - attended by 128 students     

·      7 film shows on nature and wildlife – attended by 281 students

·      3 unemployed young villagers placed in resorts

·      Meeting on livelihood options held with women’s SHGs

Satpuda Foundation assisted Range Forest Officer, Khatiya and the Green Brigade Foundation, Balaghat in preparing 5-year micro-plans for 7 buffer zone villages in the range. We conducted meetings with villagers to enquire about their needs and to know about local issues related to conservation. We are suggesting solutions in these plans as per the needs of the villagers. We had prepared similar micro-plans for Kutwahi and Khishi and are working on the 3 remaining villages.

During the month, our team organised a programs to prepare a waterhole inside the jungle at Budbudi nallah in Chapri on April 14. Eight villagers from Chapri volunteered for the voluntary work program. We prepare these waterholes at specific locations in consultation with the Forest Range Office, Khatiya. These waterholes will help provide clean water for wildlife and reduce their need to venture near human habitations for water during summer. It will thus help reduce man-animal conflict.

On April 11, Sampath led a team of 8 people in a program to clear weed growth and plastic waste around a hand pump and in a soak pit at Bhagpur. Wild growth had proliferated around the hand pump and access to the hand pump was affected. Our team, which comprised of 8 young villagers from the village, removed the wild growth and cleaned the area and prepared the soak pit. A similar program was organised at Chapri on April 21.

In April, Satpuda Foundation along, with Kanha Eco-village Resort, spread the message of tiger conservation on the occasion of Navratri festival. Our team along with volunteers from villages posted banners with conservation massage in local dialect near Khatiya gate and along the main street leading to the gate. 40 locations were selected so that these banners are clearly visible to both local community as well as tourists.

During April, our team organised conservation rallies in which members of Women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs) participated. At Batwar, on April 10, 52 women representing 10 SHGS later took part in a rally. The rally moved through different areas of the village, with the women raising slogans to make the community aware about the importance of tiger conservation.

Satpuda Foundation had helped 12 families from Dhamangaon to apply for solar-powered pumps under a Government-sponsored scheme. This scheme is aimed at providing irrigation facilities specifically to tribal farmers. Out of these 12 applications, 5 were approved in April. Earlier in March, 4 farmers were provided this facility. The remaining 3 farmers will be provided solar pumps next month. By using solar power, farmers are adopting green and clean energy. Further, in remote locations like Dhamangaon, electricity supply is unreliable, affecting irrigation systems.

Details of the beneficiaries are given in the table above.

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 April, we helped 5 villagers dig compost pits – Anjana Bai Markam of Sautiya on April 3, Somvati Bai Maravi of Manegaon on April 4, Kamla Bai Dhurwey of Manegaon on April 13, Devki Bai Tekam of Samaiya on April 19, and Premvati Bai Saiyam of Samaiya on April 27.  

During the month, Amit organised 4 awareness programs on forest fires. Fires are a recurring hazard during summers. Sometimes, villagers start fires as they believe that tendu leaves sprout better after such fires. Collection of tendu leaves takes place during April. In our awareness programs, we explained the dangers that such fires cause to the forest and to wildlife and how they could harm villages if they blazed out of control.

On April 12, our team provided training in preparing vermi-compost to Ramfal Pusham of Batwar village.

During the month, Amit organised 4 awareness programs on forest fires. Fires are a recurring hazard during summers. Sometimes, villagers start fires as they believe that 'tendu' leaves sprout better after such fires. Collection of tendu leaves takes place during April. In our awareness programs, we explained the dangers that such fires cause to the forest and to wildlife and how they could harm villages if they blazed out of control.

Due to intense heat during the summer season and unavailability of electricity in Bhagpur, villagers faced scarcity of drinking water. Despite repeated requests to authorities by the villagers, no action was taken. Amit Awasthi informed the local member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) and president of the Tribal Project, Mr Narayan Singh Pattaji about the issue. Mr Pattaji took cognizance of the matter and requested District Collector, Mandla and Janpad Panchayat to take suitable measures. Water tankers were deployed in the village. Within the next couple of months, electricity will be restored in the village and new hand pumps will be provided.

In April, we encouraged villagers to collect seeds of local tree species. These seeds will be used to prepare saplings for our plantation drive during the monsoon season. Villagers collected seeds of lendiya, saja, sallan etc. found in and around their villages. We will now prepare saplings from these seeds and distribute them to the villagers during monsoon season.

With the summer heat at its peak, our team has been motivating villagers to put up containers with water so that birds and small animals can quench their thirst. Around 46 containers were put up in 3 villages in April.

Education  

During the month, our team organised environment education programs in 6 schools in the villages in our area of operations. (See table above).

Education van program 

There were 7 film shows on nature and wildlife conservation in April. (See table above).

Livelihood programs

Employment Cell 

We helped 3 young villagers get jobs during the month of April. (See table above).

SF organised a joint meeting of women’s SHGs working in the buffer area, in which their activities were reviewed. These include vegetable production, art, tribal food products, sewing, mushroom production etc.

Along with the above, Amit discussed conservation-related activities in villages such as animal husbandry and cooking gas connections. During this meeting, Amit requested assistance from the members for activities such as check dam construction, sanitation campaigns, and training programs for young villagers.