Activity Update April 2014: Tadoba

Team:

Bandu Kumare – Field assistant

Highlights

·      One awareness programme on forest fires at Adegaon

·      3 community assistance voluntary work projects – one programme to clean area around well at Khutwanda and two programmes at Adegaon and at Sitarampeth to clean areas around hand pumps

·      1 community assistance programme to clean soak pit at Bamdeli

·      Anti-plastic programmes in 3 villages – Dewada, Kondegaon and Sitarampeth

·      Follow-up to plantation done earlier at Mudholi, Katwal, Moharli and Adegaon

·      Classroom visits to 10 schools as part of our environment education programme – attended by 271 students

·      Two nature trails for students of Kutwanda and Kondegaon

·      Identified and sent 15 youths from Chorgaon to Dhanoli for visit in Koustubh poultry farming

·   2 visits to resettled villages of Jamni and Navegaon to follow up on status of  villagers  

Conservation

On April 12, Bandu organized an anti-plastic programme at Dewada in which 17 students of the village’s ZP Primary School participated. Bandu explained the harmful effects of plastic on the environment and the need to keep plastic litter and waste buried so that they aren’t blown by the wind into jungle areas. The children first cleared the main road of the village of plastic litter and waste and later cleared the school premises as well.

Two other anti-plastic programmes were organized - at Kondegaon on April 17 and at Sitarampeth on April 28. Photos of the Kondegaon drive below.

Bandu also organized 3 community assistance programmes during the month.

On April 14, he organized a programme to clear the area around a hand pump at Adegaon in which 8 youths from the village joined Bandu in the programme. A similar programme was organized on April 23 at Sitarampeth to clean the area around a hand pump.  4 youths from the village joined Bandu in this programme. Another programme was organized on April 16 at Kutwanda to clean the area around a well. 5 youths from the village joined Bandu in this programme. Photos of the Adegaon programme below.

In all the three places water had spilled over while people drew from the well or hand pump and had stagnated, leading to proliferation of mosquitoes and insects. Our teams cleared the areas, removing scum and organic growth and dug canals to drain away the water.

On April 15, Bandu organized a programme at Mudholi to follow up on plantation of saplings done last year. This is to ensure that saplings planted during the monsoon are live and have sufficient protection from grazing livestock. 14 students from the village school joined Bandu in the programme. Similar programmes were organized on April 17 at Katwal in which 19 students participated; on April 19 at Moharli in which 13 students participated and on April 21 at Adegaon in which 16 students participated.

Mudholi - school children water saplings  

Education

During the month, our team made classroom visits to 10 schools to educate children about nature and wildlife conservation.

Education programme at Katwal

On April 11, Bandu organized a walk in the forest for the students of Kutwanda ZP Primary School. On the nature walk, in the forest adjoining the village, Bandu taught the students how to spot and identify birds. He also spoke to the children about the importance of nature and wildlife and the need for conservation. 18 students joined Bandu on the nature trail. He also conducted a nature trail for students of Kondegaon ZP Primary School in which 22 students joined him.

Kutwanda - before the nature trail

Employment Cell

On April 20, Bandu led a team of 15 youths from Chorgaon on a visit to Koustubh Poultry farm at Dhanoli. The youths were trained in poultry farming at Chandrapur with our assistance in March. The visit to Dhanoli was aimed to help them understand the practical aspects of poultry farming and to learn from the experience of a successful farmer. Photos below.