Highlights
·
9 water conservation voluntary work projects
during the month – built 1 check dam, 6 water bodies cleaned and 2 soak pits dug
·
18 awareness programmes on need to provide
water for birds and putting up of 600 water pots/containers
·
8 awareness programmes on forest fires
·
Organized 11 nature trails for village
school children – attended by 226
students
·
Celebrated International Bio-diversity Day
at Matkuli
·
Medical camps in 5 villages - 158 patients
treated.
·
Organized 5 meetings in villages scheduled
for relocation to help villagers understand issues
·
Organized the lantana training programme at
Matkuli
·
Visit to check on status of 4 villages which
have already been relocated
Conservation
During May, we organized 9 programmes
related to water conservation.
On May 16, we organized a program
to dig a soak pit at the Government Primary School (GPS), Mohgaon. 9 villagers
joined hands with Hameed 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.
A similar
programme was organized at GPS, Mehandikheda on May 18.
On May 19, we organized a
programme to clean three water bodies in the jungle around 4 km from Pisuwa
village. The water bodies, which are located around 200 metres from each other,
were covered with leaves and organic litter and animals were finding it
difficult to drink. Our team, consisting of field assistant Hameed Khan and 24
adult villagers from Pisuwa village, cleared the litter and made the water bodies
accessible to the animals again. Spotted deer are regularly spotted around these
water bodies while there are occasional sightings of sloth bears and leopards.
On May 21, we organized a similar programme to clean two more water bodies in the jungle around 3 km from Pisuwa village.
On May 23, we organized a programme to build a check dam on a stream around 3.5 km from Almod village. A team comprising of 7 adult villagers, 17 students from the village and Ashfaq built the dam. The resultant water body will benefit domestic livestock in the day time and wildlife at nights. Spotted deer, monkeys and leopards are spotted in the area. Photos below.
On May 24, we organized a
programme to clean a water body in the jungle around 2 km from Almod village.
The water body, which is located in the buffer zone, was covered with leaves
and organic litter and animals were finding it difficult to drink. Our team,
consisting of Ashfaq Aarbi and 19 adults from Almod village, cleared the litter
and made the water body accessible to the animals again. Spotted deer are
regularly spotted around the water body while there are occasional sightings of
sloth bears and leopards.
Our teams work across the
landscape to provide water to birds during the scorching summer. Our team
motivated villagers in Tekapar, Chirrai, Khari, Chillod, Chandanpipariya,
Maili, Pisuwa, Bindakheda, Mohgaon, Matkuli, Mehandikheda, Almod, Khanchari,
Karer, Aaditoriya, Jhirpa, Dundi and Bandhaan, to put up around 600 small
containers with water around the villages and their outskirts for birds to
quench their thirst. Photos below.
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| Matkuli |
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| Mehandikheda |
During the month, our team also organized
8 programmes in villages to promote awareness about forest fires and the need
for everyone to join hands in fighting fires. In 3 of the meetings, local staff
of the Forest Department joined us in addressing the villagers. The details
are given in the table below.
Education
During the month, our team
organized 11 nature trails for students to educate them about nature and
wildlife conservation.
Celebration of International Biodiversity
day
On May 22, we organized functions
to celebrate the International Bio-diversity Day at Matkuli and Mehandikheda.
This programme was attended by Shri Kamal Kishore Pal (Sarpanch of Matkuli),
Shri L.K. Shukla, Deputy Ranger (Matkuli), villagers of Mohgaon and Matkuli and
forest staff in buffer area. The programmes were organized jointly by Satpuda
Foundation and M P Biodiversity Board.
To celebrate the occasion, a
total of 7 films on nature and wildlife were screened at Mohgaon, Matkuli,
Mehandikheda, Tekapar, Jhirpa, Chirrai and Chillod. A total of 612 adults and
children attended. Photos of some of the events below.
 |
| Film show at Mohgaon |
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| Mehandikheda celebrations |
 |
| Jhirpa film screening |
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| Biodiversity Management Committee members meet at Matkuli |
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| Matkuli celebrations |
Mobile Health Service (MHS)
Satpuda Foundation organizes
medical camps at which villagers get free treatment and medicines. These camps,
whose schedule is set in conjunction with the managements of the respective
Tiger Reserves, are run by the Mobile Health Service (MHS) of Satpuda
Foundation.
There were health camps in 5
villages in May.
 |
| Matkuli free health camp |
 |
| Villagers register for free treatment at Matkuli |
Employment Cell
During the month, our team organized
meetings with unemployed youths in 2 villages to discuss livelihood options
with them.
The details are given in the
table below.
 |
| Chirrai: Employment Cell Officer Ajay Podar discusses livelihood options with unemployed young villagers |
Training programme
Madhya Pradesh State Biodiversity Board, Bhopal, organized a programme to train villagers to make products from lantana such as furniture and fancy items. They invited us to send 20 candidates from villages in our area of operations to be trained as carpenters. We identified 20 villagers from villages in the Matkuli cluster and sent them for the 14-day programme, which started on May 30. The entire cost of the programme is being borne by Madhya Pradesh State Biodiversity Board. Photos below.
Proposed relocation
Our team organized meetings of the residents of Chakar, Muhar, and Ghoghri villages to discuss relocation-related issues. Ashfaq was asked to organize these meetings by Shri R.P. Singh (Field Director), and Shri Sanjeev Sharma (Range Officer, Pachmarhi Range), Satpura Tiger Reserve.
Of these, the process of identifying villagers eligible for relocation assistance was completed in Jamandhonga, Muhar and Ghoghri on May 2 and 25 respectively.
