Activity Update May 2013: Satpura Tiger Reserve

Highlights

·      3 water conservation voluntary work projects during the month – 1 to build soak pit and 2   
     check/stop dams

·      Putting up of pots with drinking water for birds

·      7 awareness programmes on forest fires in Podar cluster

·      8 unemployed youths placed in jobs at Jabalpur/Bhopal at starting salary of Rs 3400/- per 
     month

·      One training program for security guards for five youths

Conservation

During May, we organized 3 voluntary work projects related to water conservation.

On May 18, field assistant Vikram Parte organized a program to dig a soak pit at the Government Primary School (GPS), Mana. 8 students from the school joined hands with Vikram in digging the pit, which will take spillover water from a hand pump on the school premises. The pit will help to recharge the water table around the hand pump.

On May 19, we organized a programme to build a check dam on a stream around 2.5 kms from Nayakheda village. 20 villagers and children from Nayakheda 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 monkeys are regularly spotted in the area. Photos below.

On May 20, we organized a programme to build a check dam on a stream around 2 kms from Anjandana village. 12 children from GMS Anjandana joined hands with Umashankar to build the dam. The resultant water body will benefit domestic livestock in the day time and wildlife at nights. Nilgai and monkeys are regularly spotted in the area.

With the summer season at its peak, our team has been busy motivating villagers to put up small pots with drinking water for birds at suitable places adjoining all the 11 villages in our area of operations - 11 villages in the Matkuli cluster and 7 villages in the Podar cluster.

Nayakheda - making water pots for birds

Raikheda - putting up water bowls for birds

On May 17, we organized a trip to a nursery run by the Forest Department for students of Government Middle School, Matkuli. The trip was part of our programme to make students aware of the need to add to the green cover through plantation programmes. Some of the saplings had come up thanks to students who had given the requisite seeds. Ashfaq used the trip to also conduct a nature trail in which he identified various types of birds and plants for the students. Photos below.

Employment Cell

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

Details of the placements are as follows:

Rajesh Kumar Walke of Dhargaon and 

Balhar Uikey of Nankot who got jobs through us

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.

Environment education/Education Van

There were no programmes as schools were shut for the annual summer holiday.