Activity Update August 2014: Pench Madhya Pradesh

Team: Saket Agasti – Assistant Conservation Officer

            Niranjan Hinge, Bandu Uikey – Field Assistants

 

Highlights

• One voluntary work programme to build a soak pit at Khamba village
• One plantation programme at Satosha - 20 saplings planted
• One awareness programme on snakes on the occasion of “Nag Panchami” festival
• Raksha Bandhan festival used to promote conservation at Turia
• Nursery of 100 saplings started at Turia
• 11 environmental education programmes in village schools – attended by 266 students
• 2  nature trails for school children of Turia and Jamuntola
• 12  medical camps at which 380 patients were treated

Conservation:

On August 18, Niranjan organized a voluntary work project to build a soak pit near a hand pump in Khamba village. Before the programme, spill over water had accumulated near the hand pump, posing threats of water borne diseases and diseases like malaria. Five villagers joined Saket and Niranjan in digging a soak pit next to the pump. The spill over water will trickle into the pit and percolate down to recharge the water table.

Villagers digging the soak pit

Water collecting in the completed soak pit

On August 1, Niranjan Hinge organized an awareness programme about snakes on the occasion of “Nag Panchami”, a festival for snakes. On this day, snakes are worshipped and thanked for their contribution in controlling pests and rodents. However, these days, snakes are viewed with fear and sometimes even non-venomous snakes are killed on sight. Our awareness programme was aimed at sensitizing the villagers about this issue.

Snake awareness programme

On August 15, we started a small nursery at our office at Turia. Various seeds and saplings of local trees were prepared. The aim is to encourage children of the village to start a seed bank of the local species and conduct plantations frequently in the area. Above 100 saplings of assorted fruit-bearing trees were prepared, of which 50 were given to children to plant at their schools and homes.

Children from Jamuntola on a nature and birdwatching trail

On August 18 and August 22, Niranjan took children from Jamuntola and Turia villages respectively on nature trails. On the trails, he identified common birds and butterflies for the students. He explained the need of conservation of these species.

On August 9, Satpuda Foundation celebrated World Tribal Day at Satosha village. An awareness programme was organized for the women of the village. They were told about the history of the area and the significance of their tribe in the region. Villagers were also motivated to join the conservation efforts. We gave them saplings of fruit-bearing trees to be planted at their homes.

Woman worshipping a sapling, Satosha

Raksha Bandhan is a festival to celebrate the relationship between brothers and sisters. In this festival, the sister ties a rakhi (ornamental thread) to the arm of the brother and he, in turn, promises to protect her. At Turia, we celebrated this festival with a conservation message. Boys painted their faces as tigers and their sisters tied rakhis to them. Villagers actively participated in the event.

Rakhi celebration at our Turia office

Environmental Education Programme

There were 11 classroom programmes in August organized by Niranjan to promote awareness about the environment to village school children.

Classroom lecture at Govt Primary School, Potiya

IT Education Programme

Satpuda Foundation has been running a programme to introduce computers to children living in the remote villages adjoining Pench Tiger Reserve in both Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. In Pench (M P), this programme is being implemented in Teliya and Turia.

Computer practice at Turia

Mobile Health Unit (MHU)

We held 12 medical camps in August in which 380 patients were treated.

Dr Ravi More examines a child at our Turia camp