The City-dweller and the Tiger: Activity Update June 2015: Navegaon-Nagzira

Team:

Mukund Dhurve - Conservation Officer

Jivraj Salam - Field assistant

Salimkumar Dhurve - Field assistant

Highlights

· 7 water conservation activities – programmes to clean water holes in Kalagota, compartments no. 56, 107, 109, 110, 111, 112

· Joined Forest Department staff on 7 patrols

· 5 community assistance voluntary work projects – programmes to clean area next to hand pumps at Mangezari, Jindatola, Bodalkasa, Bagadhband, and Asalpani. This was followed by anti-plastic programmes in the villages.

· Organized 10 medical camps at which 220 patients got free treatment

· Celebrated World Environment Day on June 5 at Mangezari

· Identified 14 candidates for training as guides by Forest Department

Conservation

Our team organized 5 community assistance programmes on June 16, 18, 20, 22 and 23 to clear the areas around hand pumps at Mangezari, Bagadhband, Jindatola, Asalpani and Pongezara respectively. Unemployed youths from Mangezari participated in all programmes which were led by Mukund and Salimkumar.

Water had spilled over while people drew from the hand pumps and had stagnated, leading to proliferation of mosquitoes and insects. Our teams cleared the area, removing scum and organic growth and dug canals to drain away the water.

Our team joined the Forest Department in night patrols on the roads from Mangezari to Kodebarra, Mangezari to Jindatola and Mangezari to Govindtola on June 3, 6, 7, 11, 18, 20 and 24. Patrolling was intensified in the area after a leopard was spotted on June 3 as officials wanted to monitor its movement and ensure that it was safe from poachers.

The area is known to attract poachers as power cables are strung on poles erected by the side of the road. In the past, there have been instances of poaching on this road when poachers used hooks and wires to draw power from the cables and killed animals by electrocution. Sometimes, wires are drawn several hundred meters into the jungle from the cables. At least one gaur and one leopard have been killed over the past year, using this method. One spotted deer was also killed in this manner. Besides our staff, volunteers from a youth club at Mangezari also joined in the patrols. The youth club was set up with our assistance and is mentored by Mukund Dhurve.

Volunteer patrol, Compartment 56

Volunteer patrol, Compartment 109

On June 3, 7, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17 and 23 we organized day patrols during which our team cleaned waterholes in Compartments no. 112, 111, 56, 107, 108, 109, 110 and Kalagota respectively. The water bodies were clogged with organic litter and dust. Our teams removed the litter and de-silted the water bodies.

Photos below: Volunteers cleaning waterholes in Compartments 112 and 111

During the month, our team organized 5 anti-plastic programmes to clear polythene/plastic litter from the villages. The programmes were organized on June 16, 18, 20, 22 and 23 at Bagadhband, Mangezari, Jindatola, Asalpani and Pongezara respectively. Mukund, Salimkumar and Jivraj organized the programmes which were attended by villagers and students. The plastic litter has been kept in our Mangezari office and will be sent to Tiroda for recycling.

Clean-up drive in Bagadhband

The Government of Maharashtra has issued the buffer zone notification for the Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve. Following this, doubts have sprung up in the minds of villagers as to how they will be affected by the notification. Due to the doubts, some villagers are opposing the notification. To clear these doubts and misgivings, we organized a total of 7 awareness programmes during June in 6 villages – Chorkamara, Pitezari, Bagadhband, Kodelohara (twice), Umarzari, Sodlagondi.

Mukund Dhurve talking to villagers of Bagadhband to clarify doubts about
buffer zone notification

On June 5, we organized a programme to celebrate World Environment Day. Mukund Dhurve addressed a gathering of villagers which included the Sarpanch and Gram Panchayat members besides the Forest Guard, Mr. Durrani, 4 van majoors (temporary workers) and volunteers from the local youth club. Mukund spoke about the significance of World Environment Day and the need for conservation. Photo below.

Environment education programme

There were no environment education programmes in schools during June as schools were shut for the annual summer holiday.

Education van

There were no film shows on nature and wildlife conservation in June as schools were shut for the annual summer vacation.

Employment Cell activities

We identified following candidates for training as guides. They were admitted to a 5-day programme conducted by the Forest Department at Navegaonbandh from June 10-14. After completion of the programme, the successful candidates will be employed as guides for tourism in the buffer zone.