The City-dweller and the Tiger: Activity Update January 2013: Pench Maharashtra

Team: Anoop Awasthi – Conservation Officer

Bandu Uikey, Dilip Lanjewar – Field assistants

Highlights

· One voluntary work project to clean surroundings next to village hand pump at Ghoti

· One voluntary work project to clean surroundings next to well at Salai

· Field assistant Bandu Uikey joined Forest Department staff on anti-poaching patrols three
times

· Two nature trails for the students of Ghoti, Ghatpendari villages

· Environment education programme in 13 villages -- covered 417 students

· Tribal dance group of Sawara earned Rs. 2,000/- in one programme

· Meeting of unemployed youths from Ghoti, Sillari, Wagholi, Khapa and Pipariya villages on
four-wheeler drivers’ training

· Identified and informed unemployed youths from Ghoti, Ghatpendari, Khapa, Wagholi and
Narhar about hospitality management training

· Environment film show programme in 8 villages -- covered 490 people

· Shatrughan Warti who made handicrafts from lantana earned Rs. 1,500/- during January

· 6 medical camps – 179 patients treated

Conservation

On January 27, Dilip led a team of 10 children of Ghoti village in a programme to clean the area next to a hand pump at Ghoti village. Leaves, plastic and other organic matter had accumulated in the area and water was stagnating, leading to health risks. The team cleaned the area, collected the waste matter and disposed of it. Photos below.

On January 20, Dilip led 12 children from Ghoti 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 for 11 children of Ghatpendari on January 9.

Nature trail at Ghatpendari - village children show off their
knowledge of local plants to Bandu

Above, below: Nature trail at Ghoti, led by Dilip Lanjewar

On January 6, 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 and Bandu took part in the patrol in the jungle near Ghatpendari. Bandu joined other anti-poaching patrols at Ghatkukda on January 20 and at Ghatpendari on January 27.

On January 24, Bandu led a team of 7 youths of Salai village in a programme to clean the area next to a well used to draw drinking water at Salai village. Spillover water had accumulated around the well, creating a bog. Access to the well was also difficult due to the bog. Our team dug a canal to drain the spillover water away and cleaned up the area.

Salai: stagnant water lying around the well

Salai: Canal being dug to drain spillover water away from the well

Education

In January, our team conducted environment education programmes in 13 schools in our area of operations.

Computer education programme for children in Sawra

An environment education class - Zinzeriya

Employment Cell

The Forest Department had asked us to help identify unemployed youths for a 3-month training programme in hospitality, to be funded by the Tiger Foundation. We informed youths in all the villages in our area of operation and on January 18, we organized a programme at Pahrai at which the youths were interviewed and short-listed. At the programme, local officials of the Forest Department and Tiger Foundation were present along with our field assistants Bandu Uikey and Dilip Lanjewar.

Below is the short list.

Similarly, we were asked to assist in identifying youths for a proposed programme to train youths in driving four wheelers. The Pench Tiger Foundation plans to organize this programme. On January 16, we assisted the Forest Department in holding a meeting at Sillari attended by 31 youths from Ghoti, Sillari, Wagholi, Khapa and Pipariya village. Details of the programme were given out to the youths such as the duration, cost, contribution expected from each youth.