February 2011 Update: Pench Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra

Team:

Anoop Awasthi – Conservation Officer

Bandu Uikey, Dilip Lanjewar – Field assistants

Highlights

• 1 shramdaan (voluntary work) to clean a waterhole in jungle near Kolitmara
• 1 shramdaan to clean surroundings next to a hand pump at Sawara
• Anti-plastic campaign and conservation rally at Zinzeriya
• Field assistant Bandu Uikey joined Forest Department staff on anti-poaching patrols twice
• 1 nature trail for students of Khapa
• Classroom visits to 12 schools to give lecture on nature and wildlife conservation, attended by 461 students
• Tribal dance group of Sawara earned Rs 1,500/- in February
• Garments retailer has restarted operations and earned Rs 4,000/- in February
• Tailoring group of Sawara earned Rs 1,020/- in February
• Lantana products maker earned Rs 500/- in February
• Ongoing support to IT initiative and tailoring group by Mumbai-based volunteers Rajashree Khalap and Kirti Chavan
• Two unemployed youths from Ghoti village sent to Nagpur for a 15-day training programme on electrical maintenance
• Education van programme – 10 film shows, attended by 479 people
• Assisted in medical camps in 6 villages, attended by 260 patients

On February 8, field assistant Dilip Lanjewar led students of Zilla Parishad (ZP) School, Khapa on a nature-cum bird-watching trail to teach children the importance of birds in our eco-system and the need for conservation. A total of 12 students participated in the trail (picture below).

On February 13 and February 28, Bandu Uikey joined staff of the Forest Department on anti-poaching patrols in the forest near Ghatpendari.

Above: On February 23, field assistant Bandu Uikey organised a shramdaan programme to clean a waterhole at Aajanpaani, around 8 kms in the jungle from Kolitmara village. One forest guard and 6 unemployed youths from Kolitmara and Ghatpendari joined hands with Bandu in this activity.

Above: On February 24, Dilip Lanjewar led a team of 40 students from ZP School, Sawara in a programme to clean the surroundings around a hand pump next to the village school. One teacher from the school also participated.

Above, below: On February 26, Dilip led 80 students and 3 teachers of ZP School Zinzeriya on a conservation rally through the village. The rally participants shouted conservation slogans during their march through the village and collected plastic waste and litter on the way. This waste has been accumulated in the school campus, pending disposal.

Below: Students of ZP Middle School, Zinzeriya, Pench Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra pitch in for public hygiene during conservation rally

Above: Plastic waste collected during march

Hemendra Kothari Foundation (HKF) has introduced vocational training through Vigyan Ashram (VA) in villages near Pench Tiger Reserve, using our network. We have helped introduce them to schools and teachers in our area of operations. HKF’s Sandeep Deshmukh and VA’s Yogesh Kulkarni met with Anoop Awasthi on February 21. They visited Sawara and Zinzeriya schools on Feb 22 to explore the possibility of expanding their activities.

Two youths were selected from three that we sent for a training programme run by Bank of Maharashtra’s Self-Employment Training Institute (M-Seti). The programme, which lasts 15 days, started in February 28. The candidates were interviewed on February 14. The two successful candidates are both from Ghoti.

A tribal dance group that we had helped set up at Sawara earned Rs 1,500 in February through one programme.

A group of villagers, for whom we had organised training in tailoring and embroidery earlier this year, earned Rs 1,020 in February thanks to support from Mumbai-based volunteers Rajashree Khalap, Bipasha Majumdar and Kirti Chavan.

Sawara villager, Jhagdu Uikey, whom we had introduced to garments dealers and whom we had helped start a retail garments business, earned Rs 4,000 in February.

Shatrughan Warthi, a resident of Sawara, has been making products from lantana which are being marketed by our Mumbai-based volunteers. He earned Rs 500 in February through lantana products (pictures below).

Above: In other livelihood-related activity, we organized two meetings of unemployed youths and a women’s self-help group at Kolitmara on February 10 and February 25. The meetings were organized to explain the concept of eco-tourism to the participants and to motivate them to equip themselves with the skills required to run the tourism complex at Kolitmara. The Forest Department has said that it wants local villagers to run its tourism complex so that villagers get a stake in protecting wildlife and nature in the Tiger Reserve.

Above: Wildlife film show at Zilla Parishad middle school, Pipariya

Above: Wildlife film show at Ghoti, Pench Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra

Mobile Health Unit:

Above: Free health camp at Zinzeriya, Pench TR, Maharashtra

Above: Health camp at Ghoti, Pench TR, Maharashtra