Activity Update January 2016: Kanha

Team: Amit Awasthi – Conservation Officer

            Sampathlal Dhurve – Field assistant

           

Highlights                                                                                                                                                 

·      2 voluntary work projects for community assistance – cleaning of area around well at Kutwahi; area next to hand pump cleaned at Chapri and soak pit dug

·      3 compost pits prepared in 2 villages

·      2 anti-plastic programmes in 2 villages

·      3 awareness programmes on seeds collection for plantation and vermi - compost

·      Environment education programme conducted in 10 schools - attended by 210 students

·      8 film shows on nature and wildlife conservation in 8 villages  - attended by 371 people         

·      3 unemployed youths placed in resorts

                                                                                            

   Conservation 

On January 13, Amit and Sampath led a team of 8 people in a programme to clear wild growth around a well at Kutwahi. Due to heavy rains, wild growth had proliferated around the well and access to the well was affected. Our team, which comprised 5 youths and 3 women from the village, removed the wild growth and cleaned the area. A similar programme was organized on January 25 to clear the area next to a hand pump at Chapri. 

Photos of the Kutwahi programme below:

Programme at Chhapri, below

Our team encourages organic farming as part of our strategy to reduce the impact of chemical fertilisers on fields adjoining prime wildlife areas. Part of our work includes assistance to villagers in setting up vermi-compost tanks and compost pits. During January, we helped villagers dig compost pits – Jhamsingh Markam of Chapri on January 17, Sonshah Baiga of Dhamangaon on January 20 and Gayadin Dhurwey of Bhagpur on January 24.     

Bhagpur - compost pit at Gayadin Dhurwey's home

On January 9, our team organized an anti-plastic programme at Patpara. Amit and Sampath spoke to the villagers about the harmful impact of plastic/polythene on the environment and motivated them to remove such litter from the village. The team of villagers and students went around the village, collecting plastic and polythene litter/waste, which were then buried in a pit on the outskirts of the village. A similar anti-plastic programme was organized at Dhamangaon on January 15.

Patpara plastic clean-up drive

Education  

During the month our team organized environment education programmes in 10 schools in the villages in our area of operations.

Classroom lecture in Kutwahi

Education van programme

We conducted 8 film shows on nature and wildlife conservation in January.

Dhamangaon film screening

Livelihood programmes

As part of our programme to reduce pressure on forests, we have been encouraging villagers to take up alternative livelihood options. In Kanha, we have been encouraging villagers to take up vegetable farming as there are several resorts around Mocha and there is a steady flow of tourists who require fresh vegetables. Over the past 2 years, we have assisted around 30 villagers in taking up vegetable farming and they are earning around 500-1,000 rupees a week in additional income. The vegetable patches are typically of small size and located in the backyards of the residences. Some villagers have now got enough confidence to expand and are planning to use part of their farm land for this activity.

Maya Bai's vegetable patch in Chhapri

Aaghan Uddey's vegetable patch at Batwar

Employment Cell

We helped 3 youths get jobs during the month of January.

Jagdish Uikey at his new place of work, Kanha Resort, Mocha

Sugriv Dhurwey who got a job at Royal Sylvan Resort, Chhapri