July 2012 Activity Update: Kanha

Team: Amit Awasthi – Conservation Officer

            Sampathlal Dhurve – Field assistant

           

Highlights

• 3 conservation rallies in 3 villages
• 2 shramdaan programmes in 2 villages focussed on cleaning village common areas
• Awareness programmes and demonstration of improved paddy farming techniques in 5 villages
• 3 compost pits constructed in 3 villages
• 5 awareness programmes on snake bites
• Cleaning of 16 wells used to draw drinking water
• 2 unemployed youths placed in local jobs
• 2 plantation programmes in 2 villages  
• 8 film shows on wildlife conservation – attended by 394 villagers
• Environment education  programme conducted in 11 villages - attended by 351 students

Conservation work:


Below: During the month, our team organized two Shramdaans for community assistance. On July 13, field assistant Sampath Dhurve led 13 students of Primary School Chapri, in a programme to clean the school premises. The school ground had become waterlogged and students were wading through the water and slush to reach their classrooms. As this was posing a health hazard and as school teachers were not showing any interest, Sampath organized the students to clean up the premises. The team dug small canals to drain the water away and, now, there is no water stagnation even after heavy rains. 

Below: On July 29, our conservation officer Amit Awasthi, Sampath and Forest Guard Durgesh Dixit organized a programme to clean the main road in Bhagpur village. The road had become difficult to use because of wild growth of weeds and grass. 13 villagers joined hands with our team in the programme.  

 



























Above: With the onset of the monsoon rains, there is increased danger from snakes which crawl out of their pits after these get flooded. Our team conducted awareness programmes on snakes and what to do in an emergency in case of snake bite. Local forest guards, Sarpanch and other village officials participated in the programmes along with villagers.

Here are the details of the programmes:

In July, our team also organized awareness programmes on improved paddy farming techniques. Amit, who has attended programmes on organic farming and improved technology in farming, conducted the programmes. The details:

Below: During the month, our team took advantage of the monsoon rains to launch plantation drives in the villages. 250 saplings were donated by Forest Guard Durgesh Dixit (Bhagpur) of the Forest Department and 50 by a private nursery at Chapri. All the saplings were of the kaner variety.

Chapri - planting in progress

Villagers collect saplings for planting

Awareness programme for plantation at Bhagpur

Plantation at Bhagpur

Plantation at EGS School, Chapri

Plantation at Chapri

Below: During the month our team also rendered community assistance by helping to clean 16 wells used to draw drinking water. We collected the cleansing agents from the hospital at Mocha and provided them to different villages.

Cleaning a well at Chapri

We also assisted three villagers in digging compost pits as part of our goal to encourage organic farming. Details of the pits are given in the first table above.  

Chapri - compost pit dug in Ghanshyam Thakur's plot

Patpara - compost pit dug in Amar Maravi's plot

Education

During the month our team organized environment education programmes in 11 schools in the villages in our area of operations.

Batwar - Amit Awasthi speaks on nature and wildlife conservation

Batwar - conservation rally at Government Middle School

Employment Cell 

We helped two youths get jobs during the month of July.

Digambar Thakur of Chapri, who got a job as a driver with our help

Virendra Markam of Sautiya, who got a job with our help

Education van programme

During the month our team organized 8 film shows on nature and wildlife conservation which covered 394 students and villagers.

Dhamangaon - wildlife film show at Government Middle School

Samaiya - wildlife film show in progress