Activity Update April 2016: Navegaon-Nagzira

Highlights

Dr. Zanzal examines patient at our free health camp at Pitezari

Our Conservation Officer Mukund Dhurve
discusses conservation issues on World Earth Day

Our Conservation Officer Mukund Dhurve shows
how to make a stove which will use less firewood and emit less smoke

Our volunteers fight a fire in the jungle in Compartment. no. 56

Our volunteers join Forest Dept. staff on night patrol 

Volunteers clean a forest waterhole  

Waterhole dug by our team 

Anti- plastic programme organised by us at entry gate to the Tiger Reserve

Forest Department staff speak about conservation
at a World Earth Day programme 

Thadezari - Area around hand pump and soak pit being cleaned

THE FULL REPORT

Team: 

Mukund Dhurve         - Conservation Officer

Jivraj Salam                 - Field assistant

Salimkumar Dhurve    - Field assistant

Highlights

·      Joined Forest Department staff on 5 patrols

·      5 community assistance shramdhaans – programmes to clean area next to hand pumps at Jindatola, Pitezari, Bodalkasa, Pindkepar, Govindtola

·      5 programmes to clean water holes at Compartments no.112, 113, Mangezari, Comp. no. 109, 110

·      4 anti-plastic programmes at Pitezari, Chorkamara, Kodebarra, Govindtola

·      Assisted in fighting fire in forest in Compartment no. 57

·      Organised 6 medical camps in which 101 patients got free treatment

·      Celebrated World Earth Day on 22^nd  April at Jindatola ( Ghoti )

Conservation 

Our team organized 5 community assistance programmes on April 2, 5, 13, 17 and 27 to clear areas around hand pumps at Pongezara, Asalpani, Mangezari and Jindatola 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.

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, and Mangezari to Comp. no. 56 on April 3, 7, 12, 18 and 24. Patrolling was intensified after a leopard was spotted on April 2 as officials wanted to monitor its movement and ensure that it was safe from the poachers.

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.

During the month, our team assisted in fighting a fire in the forest in Compartment no. 57 on April 27.

During the month our team organized 5 anti-plastic programmes to clean polythene/plastic litter from villages. The programmes were organised on April 5,6,19 and 24 at Pitezari, Chorkamara, Kodebarra and Govindtola villages respectively. Mukund, Salimkumar and Jivraj organised the programmes which were attended by villagers and village eco-development committee (VEDC) members. The plastic litter has been kept in our Mangezari office and will be sent to Tiroda for recycling.

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 organised a total of 4 awareness programmes during April in 4 villages – Pitezari, Sodlagondi, Thadezari and Bhajepar.

On the occasion of Earth day, we organized a programme for villagers, self-help group (SHG) members and eco-development committee (EDC) members from Jindatola (Ghoti), Mangezari, Govindtola, Kodebarra, Bodalkasa. The importance of conservation was explained to the gathering and we explained to them how they could use measures like soak pits and stop dams to conserve water. The importance of reducing the usage of plastic was also stressed.

In livelihood options, our team explained to the SHGs the various government schemes available and offered them guidance on food processing, making of pickles, etc…

Our team also gave a demonstration of improved chullah (stove) which use less firewood and emit less smoke.

Round Officer (Jindatola Round) Shri. Durrani, Forest Guard Shri Sonewane and wildlife guard Shri Mehar were present.

Education

There were no education programmes during April as students were busy with their annual examinations.

Education van

There were no film shows during the month April as students were busy with their annual examinations.

MHS (Mobile Health Service)

There were 6 health camps in April at which 101 patients received free treatment.