June 2012 Activity Update: Kanha

Team:  Amit Awasthi – Conservation Officer

            Sampatlal Dhurve – Field assistant

Highlights

• 2 nature trails
• 2 anti-plastic programmes
• 2 compost pits prepared
• 8 wells cleaned
• 1 shramdaan (voluntary work project) to clean area next to hand pump
• 5 awareness programmes on organic farming and better farming techniques
• 3 unemployed youths assisted in getting jobs locally
• Two exposure visits to help women’s SHGs understand how to function better

Conservation

In June, our team also organized 2 nature trails during the month, leading children on walks in the jungle. On these walks, our team explained to children the need for conservation of nature and wildlife and helped them to identify the local flora and fauna.

During the month, our team organized students of 2 village schools to participate in anti-plastic programmes. Our team first explained the harmful effects of plastic/polythene on the environment and then led the children in programmes through their respective villages. Plastic litter was collected and buried in pits. Details of the villages and dates are given in the table above. 

 

Our team also organized the preparation of two compost pits during the month. On June 25, a pit was prepared in the backyard of the residence of Mahasingh Markam at Kutwahi and on June 30, another pit was prepared at the residence of Patiram Dhurve, of Chapri. 

On June 22, Amit and Sampath organized a programme at Chapri to clean the area next to a hand pump at Forest Chowki. The area surrounding the hand pump had become waterlogged and become clogged with waste and debris. 6 villagers joined Amit and Sampath in the programme. 

Ahead of the monsoon, our team also organized the cleaning of wells used to draw drinking water to reduce the danger of water-borne diseases. We conducted 8 programmes during the month to clean wells. 

During the month, Amit also organized programmes in 5 villages to promote organic farming and to expose villagers to new and improved farming techniques. Details of the programmes are in the table above.

Employment Cell

Three youths got jobs in June with our assistance.

During the month, Amit led women’s Self Help Groups (SHGs) from our area of operations on exposure visits to other areas to show them how other successful SHGs operate. They were also taken to a police station to help reduce their fear of officialdom and understand how the police function.

June 2012 Activity Update: Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve

Anti-Poaching Workshop:

On June 3, a workshop on anti-poaching was organized at Rangers College, Chandrapur for foresters and forest guards. Mr. Kishor Rithe, President Satpuda Foundation and Mr. Vishal Bansod, Honorary Wildlife Warden, Amravati, spoke to the participants about effective patrolling and identification of steel traps and snares, trends in animal poaching and trade in animal parts. Around 10 members from other NGOs also participated in the workshop.

Tiger body found At Junona Range C.N. 504 :

            

 
























On June 30, a dead tiger was found in West Chanda Forest Division. The tiger was about 10-12 year in age and measured 290 cm in length from nose to tail and 100cm in height. Forest Department staff present at the site said that the tiger may have been killed in a fight over territory with another tiger. Signs on the body showed that it was heavily injured and blood on the ground showed that it had bled heavily during the fight. The area where the tiger was found is under FDCM (Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra) and is surrounded by areas under the jurisdiction of the Territorial Forest wing. Both the departments launched a joint operation venture to spot the other tiger and to verify whether it was safe or had been injured in the fight as well. The carcass was burned after a post mortem.

Highlights

• Follow-up to plantation in 2 schools
• Public/village hygiene program in 3 villages
• Cleaning of 2 water bodies used mainly by wild animals and birds
• Water pots put up for birds in 1 village
• Anti-plastic programmes in 2 villages
• Medical camps in 6 villages  - 233 patients treated
• Two visits to Bhagwanpur to follow upon  status of relocated villagers
• Preparation of vegetable patch at Kondegaon Z. P. Primary School
• Visits to Kolsa, Jamni and Navegaon for rehabilitation work

Conservation

On June 20, our team went to Katwal Zilla Parishad (ZP) Primary School to monitor the progress of saplings planted in July-August 2011. Our team conducts regular follow-up visits to ensure that the saplings are watered properly and that they get adequate protection from livestock. A similar follow-up visit was made to Adegaon on June 26.

Plantation follow-up visit to ZP School, Adegaon

On June 11, our team organized a programme at Katwal to promote awareness about public hygiene. Our team with 7 youths of the village cleaned up the area next to a well, which had turned into a bog, and dug a channel to drain the spillover water away.

Handpump at Adegaon before cleaning

A similar programme were organized on June 14 at Junona and on June 16 at Adegaon where 11 and 14 people respectively participated. 

Our teams have been motivating villagers across the landscape to put up pots in trees and bushes for birds to quench their thirst. One programme was organized on June 11 at Sitarampeth to put up pots for birds in trees.

On June 8, Bandu and Yogesh organized an anti-plastic programme at Mudholi. Our team cleaned the roadside area along with 4 children from Mudholi. Also on June 16 the same campaign was held at Adegaon with 14 village youths participating.

On June 14, Yogesh, Bandu and 3 unemployed youths of Kondegaon joined hands to clean a water body between Kondegaon and Mudholi. A similar programme was organized at Junona on June 17 where a waterhole on a stream was cleaned with the help of 2 other youths from the village. This water hole provides the water to wild animals like sloth bear, spotted deer and birds in the area.

On June 28, our team joined hands with school teachers of Kondegaon to prepare a vegetable nursery (Parsbagh) in the school premises. This activity was done to develop interest among students to develop similar parsbaghs in their houses, so they can get nutritious vegetables at home in the forest region where it is very difficult to get such kind of vegetables.   

Mobile Health Unit (MHU)

There were health camps in 6 villages in June.

June 2012 Activity Update: Satpura Tiger Reserve

Highlights

·      3 shramdaans (voluntary work projects) during the month to build soak pits

·      Sapling distribution and tree plantation

·    Classroom visits to 18 schools as part of our environment education programme – attended by 269 students.

·    5 unemployed youths placed in jobs at Bhopal/Jabalpur at starting salary of Rs 3300/- per month

·      One training programme for five youths

Conservation: 

During June, we organized 3 shramdaans related to water conservation.

On June 12, field assistant Umashankar Yadav organized a program to dig a soak pit at the Government Middle School (GMS), Anjandana. 10 students from the school joined hands with Umashankar in digging the pit, which will take spillover water from a hand pump in the school premises. The pit will help to recharge the water table around the hand pump.

On June 13, Conservation Officer Ashfaq Arabi organized sapling distribution and plantation at the government Middle School Anjandana and Government Primary School, Dhargaon. The saplings were provided by the Social Forestry wing of the Forest Department. 

On June 16, Umashankar organized a programme to dig a soak pit at the Government Primary school, Dhargaon. 11 students from the school joined hands with him in digging the pit, which will take spillover water from a hand pump in the school premises. The pit will help to recharge the water table around the hand pump.

On June 30, field assistant Vikram Parte organized a programme to dig a soak pit at the Government Primary School (GPS), Khamda. 9 students from the school joined hands with Vikram in digging the pit, which will take spillover water from a hand pump in the school premises. The pit will help to recharge the water table around the hand pump. 

Education

During the month, our team made classroom visits to 18 schools to educate children about nature, wildlife and conservation.

Education programme at Nayakheda

Employment Cell

5 youths from both clusters got jobs in June thanks to our help.

Details of the placements are as follows:

Training programme

Centre for Entrepreneurship Development of Madhya Pradesh (CEDMAP) regularly organizes livelihood and skill-enhancement training programmes at Bhopal. They invited Satpuda Foundation to send candidates from our area of operations to a programme to train youths as security guards. We identified 5 youths from the two clusters where we work and sent them to Bhopal for the programme, which ran from June 25 to 29. Satpuda Foundation bore part of the expenses for the training programme.

Summer 2012 Activity Update: Satpura Tiger Reserve

Highlights

·      4 shramdaans (voluntary work projects) during the month – 2 to build soak pits and 2 bori bandhaans to build check/stop dams

·      Putting up of pots for drinking water for birds

·      7 forest fire awareness programmes in Podar cluster

·      8 unemployed youths placed in jobs at Bhopal/Jabalpur at starting salary of Rs 3300/- per month

·      One training program for security guards for five youths

  Conservation

During May, we organized 4 shramdaans related to water conservation.

On May 5, field assistant Umashankar Yadav organized a program to dig a soak pit at the Government Primary School (GPS), Kukra. 13 students from the school joined hands with Umashankar in digging the pit, which will take spillover water from a hand pump in the school premises. The pit will help to recharge the water table around the hand pump.

On May 9, Umashankar organized a programme to dig a soak pit at the Government anganwadi campus. 10 students from the school joined hands with him in digging the pit, which will take spillover water from a hand pump in the school premises. The pit will help to recharge the water table around the hand pump.

On May 10, we organized a bori bandhaan programme to build a check dam on a stream around 2 kms from Birjikhapa village. 11 children from GPS Birjikhapa joined hands with Umashankar to build the dam. The resultant water body will benefit domestic livestock in the day time and wildlife at nights. Spotted deer and sloth bears are regularly spotted in the area.

 On May 12, we organized a bori bandhaan programme to build a check dam on a stream around 1.5 kms from Raikheda village. 12 People form Raikheda village joined hands with Umashankar to build the dam. The resultant water body will benefit domestic livestock in the day time and wildlife at nights. Spotted deer and sloth bears are regularly spotted in the area.

With the summer season at its peak, our team worked to put up small pots for drinking water at suitable places adjoining all the 15 villages in our area of operations - 8 villages in Matkuli cluster and 7 in the Podar cluster. This will help birds. 

Employment Cell

8 youths from both clusters got jobs in May thanks to our assistance.

Details of the placements are as follows:

Training programme 

Centre for Entrepreneurship Development of Madhya Pradesh (CEDMAP) regularly organizes livelihood and skill-enhancement training programmes at Bhopal. They invited Satpuda Foundation to send candidates from our area of operations to a programme to train youths as security guards. We identified 5 youths from the two clusters where we work and sent them to Bhopal for the programme, which ran from May 26 to 30. Satpuda Foundation bore part of the expenses for the training programme.

Summer 2012 Activity Update: Kanha

Team:  Amit Awasthi – Conservation Officer

            Sampatlal Dhurve – Field assistant

Highlights

• 3 nature trails
• 6 waterholes cleaned
• 1 awareness programme on forest fires
• 2 vermi-compost tanks prepared
• 3 shramdhaan programmes to clean wells
• Anti plastic campaigns in 3 villages
• Water pots for birds placed in trees in 4 villages
• 7 film shows on nature and wildlife conservation, attended by 339 people
• 4 unemployed youths placed in jobs locally
• One workshop held on eco- tourism in Chapri
• Two youths engaged in making re-usable eco-friendly bags 

Conservation 

 

During the month, our team organized 3 nature trails during the month, leading children on walks in the jungle. On these walks, our team explained to children the need for conservation of nature and wildlife and helped them to identify the local flora and fauna. 

 

At the end of each nature trail, the children also joined hands with our team to clean up waterholes in the jungle. Details are given in the table above. 

With the summer heat picking up, forest fires are a major hazard across our area of operations. As part of our conservation strategy, we conduct programmes to sensitize villagers about this issue and enroll their support in fighting fires. We conducted an awareness programme during the month on forest fires – on May 19 at Bhagpur. 

Our team organized anti-plastic programmes in 3 villages during May. We organized teams of 

village children to clean the roads and public places of plastic litter. Bags, packets and other plastic/polythene litter was collected and buried in pits. The details are given in the table above.

 

Our team also organized the preparation of two vermi-compost pits during the month. On May 24, a pit was prepared in the backyard of the residence of Pachobai Marwai at Manegaon and on May 29, another pit was prepared at the residence of Sukchain Tekam, of Chapri. 

Our team organized the cleaning of wells to ensure that villagers get clean drinking water during the monsoon months. The areas around the wells were first cleaned of litter and debris. Subsequently villagers descended the wells to clear them of organic growth and used medicines to clean the water as well. Dates and other details are in the table above. 

On May 20, our team organized a workshop on eco-tourism at Chapri to explain to villagers the benefits they could get from tourism. Amit explained to the villagers the potential jobs available in tourism and how they could benefit from eco-tourism. A team of 12 villagers has been formed and this team will take tourists on nature walks in the adjoining jungle. The team comprises of people with local knowledge of the jungle, local flora and fauna as well as expertise on medicinal plants which grow in the wild. The team proposes to make available to tourists local food cooked in the traditional style of the villagers.

 

With the summer heat reaching its peak, our team also worked to put up pots with water in trees so that birds could quench their thirst. During the month, we organized such programmes in 4 villages. 

Employment Cell

 

Two youths, Dilesh Maskole of Patpara and Newal Singh of Manegaon, have benefited from our efforts to provide them with alternate livelihood opportunities.

We had identified these youths and pointed out options available to them and both had responded positively, showing interest in making re-usable bags and lantana products. They are now currently working on making re-usable bags, which will be marketed by our volunteer team in Mumbai which is led by Rajashree Khalap. In May, they earned 360 rupees.  

 Education Van:

 We organized 7 film shows in May.