Activity Update January 2016: Satpura Tiger Reserve

Team: Ashfaq Aarbi – Conservation Officer

            Hameed Khan – Field assistant                                                        

Highlights

·      7 water conservation voluntary work projects during the month – built 2 check dams, cleaned 5 water bodies

·      11 awareness programmes on vermi-compost

·      Classroom visits to 14 schools as part of our environment education programme – attended by 810 students

·      Arranged livelihood training at Naya Raikheda, a relocated village

·      Medical camps in 5 villages – 193 patients treated

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

·      Livelihood awareness programme on BCRLIP

·      Celebration of Republic day at Matkuli

Conservation

During January, we organized 7 programmes related to water conservation. 

On January 18, we organized a programme to build a check dam on a stream around 3 km from Pisuwa village. The site is known as Pisuwa nallah. A team comprising of 18 students and one Teacher from Government Primary School, Pisuwa, and 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 spotted in the area. Photos of both check dams below.

On January 19, we organized a programme to build another check dam on a stream around 2.5 km from Pisuwa village. A team comprising of 15 students and one teacher of Government Primary School, Pisuwa and 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 spotted in the area.

On January 22, we organized a programme to clean two water bodies in the jungle around 5 km from Pisuwa village. The water bodies, which are located around 500 metres from each other, were covered with leaves and organic litter and animals were finding it difficult to drink. Our team, consisting of field assistant Hameed Khan and 14 children from Government Primary School, Pisuwa, cleared the litter and made the water bodies accessible to the animals again. Spotted deer are regularly spotted around these water bodies while there are occasional sightings of sloth bears and leopards. Photo below.

Similar programmes were organized at Chillod, Matkuli and Pisuwa on January 23, 25 and 27.

Education  

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

Employment Cell -Training programme

Satpuda Foundation and Central Bank of India (CBI), Pipariya, jointly organized a programme to train unemployed women in tailoring and embroidery to make dresses, baby clothes, ladies’ clothing and fancy items. The bank had invited us to send 15 candidates from the relocated village Naya Raikheda for the training programme. We identified 15 unemployed women from Naya Raikheda village and sent them for the 3-month programme which started on January 1. The entire cost of the programme is being borne by Central Bank of India Branch, Pipariya. Photo below.

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 5 villages in January.

Free camp at Tekapar

Free camp at Pisuwa

Relocated villages

Ashfaq and Hameed khan visited the relocated villages of Sonpur, Raikheda, Mongra, Jamandhonga, Parraspani, Anjandana, Dhargaon, Nankot, Kukra and Nandner during January to follow up on the status of the relocated villagers.

The main issues raised by the villagers related to lack of employment, water for agriculture, lack of school buildings and poor approach road. Shri A.K. Nagar, Field Director, and A.K. Mishra, Deputy Director, Satpura Tiger Reserve (STR), have asked Satpuda Foundation to focus on youths from relocated villages in our livelihood activities. STR management will approach the concerned government agencies to implement livelihood training programmes under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM).    

BCRLIP villages

Shri A.K. Mishra, Dep. Director, STR has asked Satpuda Foundation to focus on the Biodiversity Conservation and Rural Livelihood Improvement Project (BCRLIP) from Almod, Barud and Kukarpani villages in our livelihood activities. In January, STR management will approach the concerned government agencies to implement livelihood training programmes under BCRLIP in these villages.

Celebration of Republic day

On January 26, we organized a programme to celebration India’s Republic Day at Matkuli. Sarpanch Shri Kamal Kishor Pal, all members of the Gram Panchayat, local villagers and students and staff from all the government and private schools in Matkuli participated in the programme. Ashfaq used the occasion to talk about conservation and to promote our conservation agenda to the gathering. Photos below.