Activity Update February 2013: Pench Maharashtra

Team: Anoop Awasthi – Conservation Officer

            Bandu Uikey, Dilip Lanjewar – Field assistants

Highlights

• One voluntary work project to construct compost pit at Ghatpendari
• Programme to clean area next to village hand pump and water tank at Khapa
• Field assistant Bandu Uikey joined Forest Department staff on anti-poaching patrols thrice during the month
• Two nature trails for the students of Ghatpendari and Sillari villages
• Environment Education  Programme in 11  villages -- covered 394 students
• Assisted Forest Department in organizing livelihood programme to train unemployed youths in driving four-wheelers
• 6 medical camps – 135  patients treated

Conservation work

On February 19, Anoop and Bandu led a team of 8 villagers of Ghatpendari village in a programme to construct compost pit near village anganwadi (play school) building at Ghatpendari. The pit will take leftovers from meals, organic waste from meals prepared in the school and will convert it into organic fertilizer over a period of time.

Compost pit being prepared at Ghatpendari

On February 24, Dilip led a team of 15 youths of Khapa village in a programme to clean the area next to hand pump used by villagers to draw drinking water and an adjoining tank which is used by domestic cattle for drinking. Spillover water was stagnating around the hand pump while the tank had become clogged with leaves, plastic and other organic matter. The team cleaned the area around the hand pump, cleaned a canal next to it which will drain the spillover water and then cleaned the tank. Photos below.

On February 17, Dilip led 15 children from Sillari village on a nature trail in the jungle adjoining the village. On the trail, Dilip spoke to the children about the importance of trees and wild life in our eco system. A similar nature trail was organized by Bandu for 7 youths of Ghatpendari on February 12.

Dilip guides children from Sillari on a nature trail

Youths from Ghatpendari on a nature trail

On February 17, field assistant Bandu Uikey joined local staff of the Forest Department in an anti-poaching patrol. Members of the eco-development committee (EDC) of Ghatpendari also took part in the patrol in the jungle near Ghatpendari. Similar patrols were done on February 24 at Ghatpendari and at Ghatkukda on February 13.

Education

In February, our team conducted environment education programmes in 12 schools in our area of operations.

Nature education through games, at Kadbikheda

Environment education at Salai

 Nature game at Khapa school

Nature game at Sawara school

Employment Cell

With the aim of providing alternative livelihood options to local youths and to wean them away from forest-dependent activities, the Forest Department had asked us to identify suitable programmes for the youths and to identify candidates for the training programmes. We suggested a programme to train youths as drivers of four-wheelers and on February 20, the Forest Department launched a drivers’ training programme for 28 youths from Ghoti, Sillari, Pipariya, Wagholi and Khapa villages. The one-month programme involves the local eco-development committees also. 

The driver training programme being launched at the Forest Department's
eco-tourism complex at Sillari, Pench

Mobile Health Unit (MHU)

Our team assisted Nature Conservation Society, Amravati in conducting 6 medical camps in February.               

Free medical camp at Sillari

Free camp at Wagholi