Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Activity Update June 2019: Pench Maharashtra

Highlights:

Unemployed villagers attend our livelihoods workshop

Dahoda - Recruitment drive for security guards by Checkmate Security 

Fulzari - Villagers participate in a forest patrol 

Ghoti - Members of women's SHG attend our meeting
to discuss livelihood options

Nagalwadi - Attendees at our livelihoods workshop












THE FULL REPORT


Team: Kaustubh Marpalliwar – Conservation Officer
             Dilip Lanjewar, Balkrishna Bagmare – Community Officers

Highlights (See Table 1)
  • Organised 3 foot patrols with young villagers and Forest Department
  • Organised World Environment Day program at Sillari and Chargaon
  • Organised a meeting to inform young villagers about security guard jobs, 35 young villagers present
  • Encouraged 33 young villagers to participate in employment drive at Nagalwadi Forest Range Office
  • Provided list of candidates for Primary Response Team to the Pauni (Unified Control) Range Officer
On June 1, 8 and 21, three community patrolling programs were organised in Shiladevi, Makardhokda and Fulzari beats respectively with forest guards. Such patrolling helps in checking illegal activities around village forests through community participation. 

On June 29, Balkrishna organised a program to clean the Zilla Parishad School premises at Chargaon before the start of the new academic session. Facilities like washrooms, drinking water storage and taps, and electricity outlets were checked and repaired. The aim of this initiative was to ensure that students get a safe and healthy environment at school. 

On June 30, we assisted Range Forest Officer, Pauni (Unified Control) to formulate six ‘Primary Response Teams’ (PRTs) at Ghoti, Usripar, Kadbikheda, Sawara, Tuyepar and Khapa. Each PRT comprises of 5 young villagers from the village. These young villagers will be provided initial equipment and training for carrying out foot patrols, conducting wildlife rescue operations and controlling of mobs in conflict situations. These PRTs will be responsible for assisting Forest Department staff to prevent and manage human-animal conflict situations in their respective villages.


On June 12, Dilip organised a meeting with members of a Women's Self-Help Group (SHG) of Ghoti village. During this meeting, Dilip explained that they can take up manufacturing of cotton bags  to earn alternate incomes. He also explained that they can get training for sewing and manufacturing of these cotton bags. With a ban on the use of plastic bags in Maharashtra state, cloth bags have good demand and, thus, represent a very good opportunity for setting up a micro-enterprise. 17 women along with members of the Gram Panchayat were present at the meeting.

On June 5, we organised a World Environment Day celebration program in Amaltas Tourism Complex, Sillari. It was a joint program with the Forest Department. In the presence of the Chief Conservator of Forests, the Assistant Conservator of Forests and various Range Forest Officers, numerous aspects were covered like human-animal conflict, wildlife road accidents, rainwater harvesting and water management, and also career guidance for unemployed young villagers. Over 150 people from different villages were present. 
Balkrishna organised a plantation program at Chargaon on the occasion of World Environment Day along with Forest Guards and villagers. 

Employment Cell

During June, two employment programs were conducted. On June 21, Checkmate Industrial Services, Pune, conducted a recruitment drive with the help of Satpuda Foundation at Dahoda forest protection hut, at which some Forest Department officials including the RFO and RO were present. 35 young villagers attended the program. 

On June 24, Balkrishna assisted 33 young villagers to participate in an employment drive at Nagalwadi Range Forest Office. During the employment drive, the young villagers also attended a workshop on skill development and employability improvement schemes being implemented by Government agencies. (See Table 2)




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