Activity Update July 2014: Kanha

Team: Amit Awasthi – Conservation Officer

            Sampathlal Dhurve – Field assistant

           

Highlights  

·      2 voluntary work projects for community assistance – area next to well cleaned at Samaiya and Patpara

·      3 awareness programmes on seeds, improved farming techniques and bio-gas

·      Plantation programme – 125 saplings planted in 3 villages

·      3 compost pits dug in 3 villages

·      1 bio-gas unit repaired

·      Global Tiger Day  celebrated at Mocha – conservation rally, contests for students

·      Environment education programme conducted in 12 schools - attended by 314 students

·      1 unemployed youth placed in local job

Conservation  

On July 6, Amit and Sampath led a team of 7 people in a programme to clear wild growth around a well at Samaiya. Due to heavy rains, wild growth had proliferated around the well and access to the well was affected. Our team, which comprised 7 youths from the village, removed the wild growth and cleaned the area.

A similar programme was organized on July 23 to clear the area next to a well at Patpara.

During the month, Amit organized 3 awareness programmes on improved farming techniques to hep farmers improve their yield. The farmers were also taught how to treat seeds before planting. Amit also used the programmes to promote the use of bio-gas. Details of the programmes are given in the table above.

Dhamangaon programme with farmers

During the month, the following 8 farmers were also taught to plant paddy using improved techniques:

As part of our monsoon activities, our teams across the landscape motivate and organize villagers to collect seeds, prepare saplings and dig pits so that a plantation drive can be launched once the rains set in. During July, we helped plant a total of 125 saplings on school campuses in 3 villages. Details are given in the table above. The species included mango, kanji, jamun, amla.

Our team encourages organic farming to reduce the impact of chemical fertilizers on fields adjoining prime wildlife areas. Part of our work includes assistance to villagers in setting up vermi-compost tanks and compost pits. During July we helped 3 villagers dig compost pits – Busmat Bai Markam of Sautiya on July 5, Ravishanker Uddey of Samaiya on July 20 and Sanoti Bai Uikey of Patpara on July 27.    

Patpara: compost pit in Sanoti Bai Uikey's backyard

In order to reduce the dependence of villagers on forests for firewood, we encourage them to use alternative sources of energy. As part of this programme, we assist villagers in repairing bio-gas units (set up by the Forest Department) which have fallen into disrepair. In July, we helped one villager, Rajjan Singh Saiyam of Kutwahi restart his unit. Photo below.

On July 29, Global Tiger Day, our team organized a function at Government Middle School, Mocha, to promote awareness about tiger conservation. We organized a rally in which around 260 students walked through the village, chanting slogans for tiger, wildlife and nature conservation. After the rally, the students participated in a drawing contest. Some of the students had their faces painted like tigers.

Deputy Range (Khatiya), Shiv Charan Thakre, Forest Guard (Mocha) Bhaghirath Singh Kakodiya, local Eco-Committee President Bhagwan Singh Parmar and teachers of the High School, Middle School and Primary School participated along with the students.

Education

During the month our team organized environment education programmes in 12 schools in the villages in our area of operations.

Employment Cell

We helped one youth get a job in July.