The City-dweller and the Tiger: Activity Update June 2015: Pench Madhya Pradesh

Team: Anoop Awasthi – Assistant Director

Niranjan Hinge, Kamlesh Pawar – Field Assistants

Highlights

· Two programmes to dig soak pits in Tuyepani and Turia villages as part of International Yoga Day celebration

· Seed plantation programme in Turia and Kohoka

· Exposure visit of villagers from Khamarpani cluster to Seoni and Aamaghad to visit agro forestry site and clean energy innovation

· Conducted micro-plan surveys in Tuyepani and Dewari villages

· One programme to dig a waterhole near Turia village as part of World Environment Day celebration

· 9 nature trails and bird-watching programmes for children of Kohoka, Satosha, Turia, Aamajhari, Jamuntola, Khamba, Teliya, Awarghani villages

· 3 Bio-gas units restarted in Aamajhari village

· 8 medical camps held, in which 226 patients were treated

· One nature game for children of Aamajhari

· 6 SHG capacity-building and skill development meetings in Turia after which SHG members prepared 60 kg of mango pickle

Conservation

On 5 June, World Environment Day, SF organized a programme to dig a waterhole near Turia for birds and small animals. Due to the intense summer heat, water sources in the area are decreasing, creating a severe problem for wildlife.

The waterhole was built 500 meters away from the village boundary, adjacent to the buffer zone. The water hole was dug on the dried bed of a stream with the help of 9 members of a local women’s self help group (SHG) “Shrusti”. The participants of the programme were briefed about the importance of environment and rich biodiversity of the Pench Tiger Reserve. The water body will benefit domestic livestock in the day and wild animals at night. Spotted deer, jackals are spotted regularly in the area while leopards are sighted occasionally.

On 21 June, International Yoga Day, SF organized a programme to dig a soak pit next to a hand pump on the school premises at Turia village. Anoop and Niranjan led the programme in which 16 villagers and children took part. The soak pit will take spill over water from the hand pump and will help its percolation into the ground. Photo below.

Turia: celebrating International Yoga Day

Anoop and our field assistant Kamlesh assisted the Forest Department in organizing an exposure visit to the “Agro Forestry and Smokeless village Project” near Seoni. The Field Director of Priyadarshini Pench Tiger Reserve Mr. Alok Kumar wishes to replicate the project in villages of the buffer zone. He asked us to assist in organising the visit of the villagers from the area to the project site so that they could see the benefits firsthand. On June 29, Anoop and Kamlesh visited the project site with Range Officer Mr. Aaske and local forest staff and 25 villagers of Khamarpani, Tuyepani, Dewari and Kanhargaon villages. The team met the farmer Mr. Santosh Verma, who is implementing the project.

The project involves eucalyptus plantation in an area of 8.5 acres. The saplings were planted in June and were brought from Hyderabad at a cost of Rs.7 per sapling. The average cost to bring and plant the sapling works out to Rs. 13 each. This variety of clonal eucalyptus’s roots only go 4 – 5 metres underground. The roots grow horizontally under the ground and if farming is done around the tree, the roots are frequently trimmed. Trimming of the roots aids in the growth of the plant. If planted with proper planning, normal crops and other crops needing shade like ginger and turmeric can grow along with the trees. If crops are grown along with the eucalyptus, no fertilizers are needed for the plantation.

After 4 years trees are ready for harvesting, the wood is in demand from paper and timber industries. The cost of per tree is Rs. 6.50 / Kg or Rs. 300 / trunk. After the first harvest, from the several branches sprouted from the stump only two healthy branches are left to grow; producing two trunks in future. In the buffer zone, farmers face crop loss due to depredation by wildlife. Proper implementation and planting of eucalyptus might help in avoiding crop loss. The trees can be planted on the border of the fields, replacing the traditional cement poles and fencing. The rest of the area can be used for plantation of fruit-bearing trees.

Photos below: At Seoni, villagers learn about agro-forestry through a visit to a site with one-year old saplings

Villagers also visited Aamagad village 10 km far from Seoni where they saw a “Smoke less village” innovation implemented through a smokeless chullah (stove) developed by SYSS (Swatantra Yuva Shakti Sangathan), an NGO. Smokeless chullahs are stoves built with improved technology which results in reduced smoke and lower use of firewood. The smoke is dispersed through a pipe installed on the stove and reduces hardships for people using the stove. Photo below.

On June 10, Anoop and Niranjan took 14 children from Jamuntola village on a nature trail. On the trail, Niranjan spotted some of the birds common to the area like Indian Roller, Rufous Tree pie, Black Drongo, Cattle Egrets, etc. Anoop explained to the children the role of nature in human life. He also encouraged them to assist in wildlife conservation.

Similar trails were organized by SF team for the children of Kohoka, Turia Satosha, Khamba, Aamajhari, Teliya Awarghani villages.

On June 28, Niranjan took 20 children from Aamajhari village on a nature trail. On the trail, various nature games were also organized for the children. These games help children learn about nature through fun-filled activities.

During June, we organized 5 meetings for members of a women’s SHG, Srushti, in which they were taught the various records and documents to be maintained as well as the required processes to be followed in running the SHG. They were also guided on livelihood options. Currently, the SHG is making detergent powder, which they market under the name “Chamak” to local resorts. They earned 1,500 rupees during June from this activity. Following our programmes, the SHG prepared 60 kg of mango pickle to start a new business for their livelihood. We have arranged for linkages with local resorts to help the SHG market its produce.

Photos below: Members of the SHG Srushti, making mango pickle for sale