Activity Update December 2015: Navegaon-Nagzira

Team:

Mukund Dhurve         - Conservation Officer

Jivraj Salam                 - Field assistant

Salimkumar Dhurve    - Field assistant

Highlights

·      Joined Forest Department staff on 6 patrols

·      4 community assistance voluntary work programmes to clean area next to hand pumps at Pindkepar, Kodebarra, Jindatola, Govindtola           

·      4 community assistance voluntary work programmes to clean water holes in Compartment no. 110, 54, 57, 109

·      4 anti-plastic programmes at Boatola, Chorkamara, Mangezari

·      Organized 4 education programmes at Kuradi, Bolunda, Wadegaon, Kodelohara on topic – Saras bird and migratory birds (535 students were present)

·      Organized 6 film shows at Kuradi, Bolunda, Bagadhband, Pindkepar, Berdipar – attended by 598 students

·      Organized 6 medical camps at which 130 patients got free treatment

Conservation 

Our team organized 4 community assistance programmes on December 2, 19, 20 and December 23 to clear the areas around hand pumps at Pindkepar, Kodebarra, Jindatola and Govindtola 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. Photo below: Working at Kodebarra.

Soak pit at Mangezari

Cleaning waterhole in Compartment 109

Our team joined the Forest Department in day and night patrols on the roads from Mangezari to Kodebarra, Mangezari to Jindatola, Mangezari to Govindtola, Mangezari to Bagadhband, Compartment no. 109 and Compartment no. 110 on December 1, 3, 4, 18, 21, and 28.  Patrolling was intensified after a leopard was spotted on December 2 as officials wanted to monitor their movement and ensure it was safe from poachers. One cow was killed, reportedly by the leopard, in one of the areas.

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. Photos below.

At Compartment 57

Mangezari-Bagadhband road

During the month, our team organized 4 anti-plastic programmes to clear polythene/plastic litter from villages. The programmes were organized on December 9,17,24,29 at Boatola, Chorkamara, Boatola and Mangezari respectively. Mukund, Salimkumar and Jivraj organized the programmes which were attended by villagers and VEDC members. The plastic litter has been kept in our Mangezari office and will be sent to Tiroda for recycling.

At Boatola

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 5 awareness programmes during December in 4 villages – Boatola, Pitezari, Umarzari, and Bodalkasa.

Mukund Dhurve discussing local issues with villagers at Mangezari

Education

There were 4 environment education programmes during December.

Lecture at Kuradi school

Education van

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

At Bolunda

Employment Cell activities

One unemployed youth got a job in December thanks to our efforts.

MHU

There were 6 health camps in December in which 130 patients received free treatment.

Dr Zanjad at our free health camp at Bagadhband

Free health camp at Kodebarra