Activity Update October 2015: Satpura Tiger Reserve

Team: Ashfaq Aarbi – Conservation Officer

            Hameed Khan – Field assistant                                                        

Highlights

·      6 water conservation voluntary work projects during the month – built 2 check dams, 4 soak pits dug

·      10 awareness programmes on vermi-compost

·      7 awareness programmes on Swacch Bharat Abhiyaan.

·      Classroom visits to 14 schools as part of our environment education program – attended by 564 students

·      2 films shows on wildlife and nature conservation- attended by 85 children

·      Organized lantana training programme at Almod

·      Medical camps in 6 villages - 129 patients treated

·      Visit to check on status of 6 villages which have already been relocated

·      Organized village meeting for livelihood training in relocated village

·    Participated on one-day sensitization programme organized by Wildlife Crime Control Bureau

·      Celebration of Wildlife Week

Conservation

During October, we organized 6 programmes related to water conservation. 

On October 9, we organized a programme to build a check dam on a stream around 2 km from Matkuli village. The site is known as Bindakheda nallah. A team comprising of 10 adult villagers, 24 students from Government Higher Secondary School, Matkuli and our field assistant Hameed 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 seen in the area. Photos below.

On October 25, we organized a programme to build a check dam on a stream around 3 km from Matkuli village. The site is known as Maili Nallah. A team comprising of 2 teachers, 26 students from Saraswati Shishu Mandeer, Matkuli, Hameed 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 October 11, we organized a program to dig a soak pit at the Government Primary School (GPS), Pisuwa. A team comprising of 1 teacher, 22 students and Smt. Laxmi Yadav (Sarpanch, Pisuwa) 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.

Similar programmes were organized at Mehandikheda, Tekapar and Chillod on October 13, 16 and 23.

Education 

During the month, our team organized 14 lectures to educate students about nature and wildlife conservation.

Education Van

During October, our team organized 2 film shows on nature and wildlife conservation.

Film screening at Mehandikheda

Employment Cell

Training programme

Satpura Tiger Reserve, Hoshangabad organized a programme to train villagers to make products from lantana such as furniture and artifacts. They invited us to send 25 candidates from villages in our area of operations to be trained as carpenters. We identified 25 villagers from Almod village and sent them for the 15-day programme, which started on July 11 and ran till July 15. The programme was halted after five days due to heavy rains and resumed after the monsoon, running from October 14 to 23. The entire cost of the programme was borne by Satpura Tiger Reserve. Photos below.

During the month, we helped 28 villagers apply for loans from Central Bank of India, Pipariya. All applications were approved, with a cash element of 20,000 rupees and a subsidy from the State Government. The loans will be used by the borrowers to develop their business of making furniture from lantana. The loans were sanctioned under the Mukhayamantri Aarthik Kalyan Yojana.

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 management of the Tiger Reserve, are run by the Mobile Health Service (MHS) of Satpuda Foundation.

There were health camps in 6 villages in October.

Health camp at Matkuli

Health camp at Almod

Relocated villages

Ashfaq and Hameed Khan visited the relocated villages of Sonpur, Raikheda, Mongra, Jamandhonga, Dhargaon, and Nankot during October to follow up on the status of the relocated villagers.

The main issues raised by the villagers related to lack of employment, and poor approach road. Shri A.K. Mishra, Dep. Director, STR has asked Satpuda Foundation to focus on youths from relocated villages in our livelihood activities.

In October, we completed a survey of unemployed villagers in the relocated villages of Raikheda, Jamandhonga, Nankot, Nandner, Sonpur, and Parraspani and prepared a proposal for livelihood training. STR management will approach the concerned government agencies to implement livelihood training programmes under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM).

Meeting on livelihood options at Raikheda

Workshop

On October 10, Satpuda Foundation participated in a one-day sensitization programme for fringe villages of Satpuda Tiger Reserve. The programme, held at Eco Centre, Matkuli, was organized by Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Central Region, and Jabalpur and focused on the role of villagers in prevention of wildlife crime, with emphasis on the following:

1.     Information on movement of poachers/outsiders may be passed on to the local forest or police authority

2.     Suspicious persons entering the forest/ fringe villagers

3.     Gathering of suspected persons/ outsiders

4.     Information on entry of poachers inside the park

5.     Information on possession of gun/ ammunition

6.     Information on stray animals

7.     Location of poacher’s hideout

8.     Intelligence from open source

9.     Public education and awareness

1.     Participatory management

Ashfaq made a presentation on Satpuda Foundation’s activities in Satpura Tiger Reserve buffer area. This programme was attended by the President, Zilla Panchayat, Chhindwara; President, Janpad Panchayat, Tamiya; Smt. Archana Sahu, President, Janpad Panchayat Pipariya; Shri Manoharlal Patel, member Zilla Panchayat, Hoshangabad; Mohan Yadav Assistant Director and all Range Forest Officers. All members of Janpad Panchayat, all the Sarpanches of Gram Panchayats and all members of Gram Panchayats in Pachmarhi Range of Satpura Tiger Reserve also attended. 

Matkuli: Presentation on wildlife crime and its prevention

Wildlife Week Celebrations

During the first week of October, our team organized a series of events across both the Pachmarhi and Denwa clusters to celebrate Wildlife Week.