Highlights:
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| Our team helping with waterhole maintenance |
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| Pipariya - our team Mandar and Dilip explain the benefits of organic farming to villagers |
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| Pipariya - Dilip leads children on a nature trail on World Migratory Birds Day |
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| Sawara - children improve their computer skills through our programme |
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| Waterhole being dug in buffer forest with help from villagers |
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| Nature trail in Sillari - Dilip teaches children about plants |
Mandar Pingle - Conservation
Officer
Bandu
Uikey, Dilip Lanjewar – Field Assistants
Highlights
- One Jan Van Samiti formed
by Bandu Uikey along with Forest Department staff in Sawangi village of
Saleghat Range
- Four voluntary work projects
to clean waterholes at Sawara, Tuyepar hut, Khapa and Salai
- One voluntary work project
to repair waterhole in Bodkimatta in West Pench Range
- One voluntary work project
to construct water hole at Khapa
- Bandu Uikey organized three
demonstration for use of litmus paper to test water quality in waterholes
- One anti-plastic programme
in the buffer zone area of Pench Tiger Reserve at Ghoti
- Field assistant Bandu Uikey
and Dilip Lanjewar joined Forest
Department staff on anti-poaching patrols twice each
- Dilip organized six nature
trails in Ghoti, Pipariya, Sillari, Sawara, Kadbikheda and Wagholi while
Bandu organized two nature trails in Ghatpendhari and Salai
- Celebrated International
Migratory Bird Day on 14 May at Pipariya Lake
- Celebrated International
Biodiversity Day 2016 at Satpuda Foundation Center in Pipariya along with
23 farmers from Salai, Pipariya, Ghoti and Wagholi and in Ghatpendhari
along with 18 villagers
- Organized 6 medical camps
at which 134 patients were treated
- Assisted 3 youths from
Ghoti to get employment with Forest Department and 1 youth placed from
Ghatpendhari with forest department
Conservation
On May 31, Bandu Uikey assisted Forest
Department officials in setting up Jan Van Samiti in Sawangi village of
Saleghat range. Village Eco-Development Committee (VEDC) President Mr. Pandhram
and Forest Guards Mr. Ghasle and Mr. Rathod were present during the meeting
with villagers. Bandu Uikey, along with the officials read and explained the GR
regarding the Jan Van Yojana to 50 villagers who attended the meeting. Various
issues regarding the nature of work that can be accomplished under the Yojana
were discussed. The committee was formed with the unanimous consent of the
villagers.
On May 20,
Dilip Lanjewar led 15 villagers from Khapa in a voluntary programme to build a check
dam. During the summer season, there is severe scarcity of water inside the
forest area. This check dam will help retain water and thus ensure clean water
supply for the wild animals. Satpuda Foundation encourages villagers to take up
the responsibility to assist Forest Department staff with check dam
construction via voluntary work project. A similar programme was organized on
May 29 by Bandu Uikey in West Pench Range; 4 villagers from Salai volunteered
in the voluntary work project.
On May 20 Dilip
Lanjewar led 10 villagers from Sawara village in a programme to dig a waterhole
0.5 km away from the village inside the forest area. This will be useful to wild
animals like wild boar, sambar deer, chital deer, leopards, tigers during the
summer. During this season, these wild animals venture near the village in
search of water and this can lead to man-animal conflict. By constructing a
waterhole away from the village and inside the forest area, villagers aim to
prevent these wild animals from venturing near human habitation and thus help
prevent man animal conflict.
In West Pench, Bandu
Uikey helped Forest Department staff to repair an existing artificial waterhole
in Bodkimatta forest area with the help of 5 volunteers from Ghatpendhari
village on May 18.
On May 6, Bandu
Uikey demonstrated the use of litmus paper to check the water quality in waterholes
to 9 staff of Forest Department in Ghatkukda area of West Pench Range. Bandu
explained how to use litmus paper to identify cases of waterhole poisoning.
Bandu again organized such demonstrations at Ghatpendhari on May 25 for 4 Forest
Department staff members and at Markadoh (Salai) on May 28 for 3 staff members
respectively.
Satpuda
Foundation encourages villagers to patrol forest areas near their villages to
keep a check on any illegal activity in these areas and thus protect the
forests. Bandu Uikey led 6 villagers on patrol in Karudoh region of West Pench
Range on May 13 and 5 villagers in Datizira area on May 8. Dilip Lanjewar also
led 6 villagers from Khapa on a forest patrol on May 15 and then 5 villagers
from Wagholi on May 29. No illegal activities were observed during these foot
patrols.
On May 8, Dilip
Lanjewar arranged a nature tail for children of Sillari in the forest adjoining
the village. During the nature trail, Dilip introduced the children to many
plant and tree species. He also helped them to spot birds like flame back
woodpecker, coppersmith barbet, parakeets, drongo, orange headed thrush etc.
The children were able to spot many small animals like palm squirrel, langurs,
monitor lizard etc. Dilip provided detailed information about these birds and
animals and urged children to strive to protect them and their habitat.
Similar nature
trails were organized by Dilip on five more occasions in Pipariya, Sawara,
Kadbikheda, Wagholi and Ghoti villages on May 6, 18, 28, 29 and 7 respectively.
Bandu Uikey
organized two such nature trails in Ghatpendhari and Salai villages of West
Range of Pench Tiger Reserve on May 28 and 29 respectively.
On May 21,
Dilip led 9 children from Ghoti in a programme to remove plastic litter and
help keep the village plastic free. Ghoti village lies in the eco-sensitive
buffer zone of Pench Tiger Reserve and is declared a plastic free zone. While
removing litter like plastic bottles, wrappers etc. with the help of village children,
Dilip made people aware about the hazards of plastic waste in the Eco Sensitive
Zone of Pench Tiger Reserve which is an important tiger habitat.
On May 3, Bandu
Uikey who is also member of Pench Tiger Conservation Foundation attended a
meeting in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The meeting was presided by Minister of State
for Forests Mr. Sudhir Mungantiwar while senior staff members of the Forest Department
for Pench Tiger Reserve were also present. During the meeting, issues
pertaining to the status of functioning of VEDCs and conservation activities
being undertaken were discussed.
On May 14, we
celebrated International Migratory Bird Day. Our field assistant Dilip led 13 children
from Pipariya village on a bird-watching nature trail near Pipariya Lake.
Pipariya Lake is home to many migratory birds like Ruddy Shelduck, Spot billed
Duck, Storks, etc. Dilip explained that water bodies like Pipariya Lake and
nearby forest area are important habitats for these migratory birds. He also
explained the importance of conservation of these habitats to the children.
During the trail, they spotted various birds like Sandpiper, Pintail duck, lesser
whistling Duck, Honey buzzard etc.
On May 22, the Foundation celebrated
International Biodiversity Day 2016. In East Range, Conservation Officer Mandar
Pingle and field assistant Dilip addressed 23 farmers from Salai, Ghoti,
Pipariya and Wagholi about importance of conservation of biodiversity. Mandar
and Dilip urged farmers to shun use of chemical fertilizers and to adopt
organic farming practices. They also provided information on various schemes
and training programmes pertaining to organic farming run by National Center
for Organic Farming. During the discussion, the farmers’ doubts on organic
farming were discussed threadbare. A similar programme was organized by Bandu
Uikey in Ghatpendhari village which was attended by 18 farmers from nearby
villages.
Environment Education
There were no classroom programmes as schools were shut for
the annual summer holiday.
IT Education Programme
Satpuda Foundation has been
running a programme to introduce computers to children living in the remote
villages adjoining Pench Tiger Reserve in both Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
The Foundation has installed computers in 3 villages and hired a local trainer
to impart computer skills to the children. In Maharashtra, this programme is
being implemented in Sawara, with computers provided by us.
Employment Cell
Education Van Programme
There were no film shows in May
as schools were shut for the annual summer holiday.
Mobile Health Service (MHS)
There were 6 medical camps in May in which 134 patients were treated.
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