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

Team:

Mukund Dhurve - Conservation Officer

Jivraj Salam - Field assistant

Salimkumar Dhurve - Field assistant

Highlights

· Joined Forest Department staff on 11 patrols

· 4 community assistance voluntary work projects – programmes to clean area next to hand pumps at Jindatola, Bodalkasa, Kodebarra, Chorkamara

· 4 anti-plastic programmes at Berdipar, Thadezari, Bolunda, Kodebarra

· 5 tree plantation programmes in schools

· 6 awareness programmes on snakes

· 6 film shows on nature and wildlife – attended by 1,287 students

· Organized 6 medical camps at which 282 patients got free treatment.

· Organized meeting of 4 women’s self-help groups and discussed livelihood options with their members

Conservation

Our team organized 4 community assistance programmes on August 6, 2, 13, 25 to clear the areas around hand pumps at Jindatola, Bodalkasa, Kodebarra, and Chorkamara 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. Photos below: the programme at Kodebarra

Our team joined the Forest Department in night patrols on the roads from Mangezari to Kodebarra, Mangezari to Jindatola and Mangezari to Govindtola on August 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 14, 16, 21, 26 and 29. Patrolling was intensified after a leopard and tiger were spotted on August 3, 6, 14 and 21 as officials wanted to monitor their movement and ensure that they were safe from poachers. Three cattle were killed, reportedly by the tiger, near Mangezari while the leopard made on cattle kill near Govindtola, according to local Forest Department officials.

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.

Kodebarra - volunteers on night patrol

During the month, our team organized 4 anti-plastic programmes to clear polythene/plastic litter from the villages. The programmes were organized on August 7, 8, 14 and 21 at the village of Berdipar, Thadezari, Bolunda and Kodelohara 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.

Clearing up plastic litter at Khadezari

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 August in 7 villages – Chorkamara, Thadezari, Shriramnagar, Sodlagondi, Umarzari, Alezari and Tigaon.

Sapling plantation at Kodelohara school

Education

There were 5 environment education programmes during the month. Mukund used the classroom visits to conduct awareness programmes about snakes and snake bites. During the monsoon, snakes come out of their pits as these get flooded and there is greater occurrence of humans being bitten by snakes. Our awareness programmes focussed on teaching the students how to identify venomous and non-venomous snakes. Mukund also explained to the students what to do when bitten by snake.

Awareness programme about snakes at Kodelohara

Awareness programme about snakes at Wadegaon

Education van

There were 6 film shows on nature and wildlife conservation in August.

Film screening, Berdipar

Film screening at Bhajepar

Employment Cell activities

On August 26, we organized a meeting of 4 women’s self-help groups (SHGs) at Mangezari. During the meeting, the SHG members were given details about various government-sponsored schemes such as rearing of goats, dairy farming, tailoring etc.

Mukund Dhurve speaks to Women's SHG about livelihood options

After the programme, Satpuda Foundation distributed saplings of sitafal (custard apple) to the women. The saplings were supplied by the Forest Department. Photo above:

MHU

There were 6 health camps in August in which 282 patients received free treatment.