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.