Highlights:
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| Ghatpendari - Conservation Officer Mandar Pingle interacts with villagers during a VEDC meeting |
 |
| Ghoti - Villagers dig a soak pit |
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| Kadbikheda - Dr. Zanjal examines blood pressure of a lady at our free medical camp |
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| Sawangi - Our field assistant Bandu Uikey and Forest Guard Y T Ghasle explain importance of World Environment Day to students |
Team: Anoop
Awasthi – Asst. Director
Mandar Pingle – Conservation Officer
Bandu Uikey, Dilip Lanjewar – Field
assistants
Highlights
·
Assisted in
formation of 2 village eco-development committees (VEDCs) in Sawangi and Pench-Kukda
·
Bandu Uikey joined
Forest Department staff on anti-poaching patrols three times and Dilip Lanjewar
led VEDC patrols twice
·
One voluntary work
project to clean waterhole at Mahadeo Ghati near Sawangi village
·
One voluntary work
project to dig soak pit in Ghoti village
·
One voluntary work
project to clean sewage drain in Ghatpendhari village
·
19 programmes to
dig pits for sapling plantation programme during monsoon – around 2,800 pits
dug
·
Community Officer
Dilip Lanjewar organized 2 VEDC meetings in Khapa and Ghoti on 3 & 16 June respectively
·
4 nature trails organized
during the month - 2 in East Pench and 2 in West Pench
·
6 medical camps –
134 patients treated
·
Celebrated World
Environment Day 2016 in Ghoti and Sawangi
·
Community Officer Bandu
Uikey assisted in distribution of seeds to 26 farmers in Ghatpendhari
·
Community Officer
Dilip Lanjewar organized a meeting for farmers’ training in organic farming in
Dahoda on 22 June
·
Dilip Lanjewar
assisted in forming 2 groups of 33 farmers from Pipariya and 25 farmers from
Dahoda to take up organic farming
·
Mandar and Bandu
organized a VEDC meeting in Ghatpendhari for unemployed youths
·
Assisted Saila
Tribal Dance group in earning Rs 5,000 during June
Conservation
Field
assistant Bandu Uikey joined local staff of the Forest Department in
anti-poaching patrols on June 11, 16 and 26. Members of the village eco-development
committee (VEDC) of Ghatpendari and Saleghat joined Bandu in the patrols in the
jungle near Ghatpendari.
Similarly, Dilip Lanjewar led 5 members of Khapa VEDC and 6
members of Wagholi VEDC on anti-poaching patrols on June 26 and 29
respectively.
On June 16, Dilip led a team of 8 villagers of Ghoti in a voluntary
work project programme to clean the area next to a hand pump in Ghoti. Leaves,
plastic and other organic matter had spread around the hand pump. The team
collected the litter and cleaned the area. Later they also dug a soak pit near
the hand pump. The water overflowing/spilling over from the hand pump now
collects in the soak pit and helps to improve the groundwater level in the
area. The soak pit also helps to clean the water before it mixes with the
groundwater.
As part of our community assistance programmes, Bandu Uikey
led a team of 12 villagers of Ghatpendari in a voluntary work project programme
to clean a drain in the village on June 23. Leaves, plastic and other organic
matter had fallen into the drain and clogged it up, making it difficult for water
to flow.
On June 18, Bandu Uikey led a team of students to clean the
fresh water spring in Mahadev-ghati area near Dhawlapur. The students along
with Bandu Uikey removed plastic waste as well as rotting leaves in order to
clean the fresh water source. Mahadev-ghati area is a place of religious
importance for the local population and many devotees visit the temple located
there. Numerous bird species like flycatchers, thrushes, babblers, drongos,
hornbills etc can be regularly sighted in this region. Wild animals like
leopards, wild dogs, spotted deer, sambhar deer etc use the water body for
drinking. Bandu explained to the students the need to conserve these fresh
water springs and why regular cleaning of these springs is necessary.
On June 15 and June 16, Dilip led 14 children from Pipariya
and 12 children from Ghoti villages respectively on nature trails in the jungle
adjoining the villages. On the trails, Dilip explained about the importance of
trees and wild life in our ecosystem. The children were able to spot birds
like Indian Pitta, Drongo, Shikra, and Jungle Owlet.
Similar programs were organized by Bandu Uikey for 20
students from Dhawlapur and 10 students of Ghatpendari villages on June 18 and
19 respectively. Bandu Uikey was accompanied by forest guards and Special Tiger
Protection Force staff during the nature trails.
During June 2016, Dilip Lanjewar and Bandu Uikey along with
Conservation Officer Mandar Pingle encouraged villagers from 22 villages inside
the buffer area of Pench Tiger Reserve to dig pits for our planned plantation
drive during the monsoon.
They encouraged villagers to make pits inside school
campuses, community land, Gram Panchayat campus, Anganwadi, roadsides and in
the farmlands. They encouraged students, farmers, SHG members and tourist
guides to come forward and volunteer in the voluntary work project.
1,500 pits were dug in 8 villages of West Range while 1,265
pits were dug in 11 villages of East Range of Pench Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra.
On June 1, Community Officer Bandu Uikey assisted staff
from the Forest Department in the formation of a VEDC in Sawangi village of
Saleghat range. During the meeting, 70 villagers were present. Bandu Uikey read out and explained the details of the
Government Resolution for formation of the VEDC. He explained the advantages of
a VEDC and its importance for socio-economic development of the village and the
responsibilities of the villagers towards the protection of the forest area
adjoining the village.
Bandu also explained to the villagers about the various works
that can be undertaken by the VEDC. On June 4, Bandu Uikey assisted in the formation of a similar VEDC in Pench-Kukda village in West Range of Pench Tiger
Reserve in Maharashtra during which 80 villagers were present.
On June 3, Dilip Lanjewar organized a VEDC meeting for self
help groups (SHGs) of women in Khapa village. A pounding machine has been
provided by the VEDC to prepare various spices and condiments which can provide
a substantial livelihood to the villagers.
Dilip Lanjewar explained the use of the machine and
encouraged the womens’ SHGs to come forward and use the machine to earn a
livelihood by starting a small business. 8 women from the village attended the
meeting and showed interest in the business idea. Such initiatives help improve
the economic conditions of the villagers, empower the women and help reduce their
dependence on forests for livelihood.
On June 6, Mandar Pingle organized a similar meeting with
the assistance of Bandu Uikey in Ghatpendari. 30 villagers
participated and were informed about various employment related options. Mandar
also provided information on vocational/technical training programmes that can
help the youth to earn a better livelihood.
On June 22, Dilip helped organize a meeting of farmers from
Ghoti, Dahoda and Tuyepar villages on organic farming techniques. The meeting
was organized by the state Agriculture Department. 33 farmers attended the
meeting during which they were provided information about various schemes for
organic farming, techniques of organic farming and advantages of organic
farming.
Separately, Bandu Uikey assisted the Agriculture Department
in the distribution of good quality non-hybrid seeds in Ghatpendari village. Satpuda
Foundation encourages farmers to practice organic farming in order to conserve
soil and environment.
On June 5, Satpuda Foundation celebrated World
Environment Day 2016 in various villages of the buffer area of Pench Tiger Reserve.
Mandar Pingle along with Dilip Lanjewar celebrated the day with villagers of
Ghoti.
During the celebrations, Mandar and Dilip explained
to the villagers their responsibilities towards the conservation of
forests in the region. The villagers performed ‘vriksh pooja’ to mark the
beginning of the celebrations.
Mandar and Dilip made use of an interactive game to
help villagers understand a sustainable way to use natural resources in order
to protect the environment for future generations. Mandar encouraged the villagers
to take up an eco-friendly lifestyle.
Mr. Dilip Chaple, member of the VEDC, echoed the same
thought during his speech. Mr. Shivraj Shinde, chief guest on the occasion,
urged people to take up the responsibility of environmental protection.
The villagers pledged to take up the responsibility
to protect the environment by taking up activities like tree plantation,
garbage management, water conservation, soil conservation, organic farming and
wildlife conservation with Satpuda Foundation and the Forest Department.
Bandu Uikey celebrated the day along with students
from Sawangi village. He organized a conservation rally followed by a nature
trail and nature games.
Employment Cell
During June, one unemployed youth
got a job with our assistance.
A tribal dance group, Saila,
comprising villagers from Sawara, earned Rs 5,000/- in June through 1
programme. The group was set up with our assistance and we help it by speaking
to resort owners to organize performances by the group.
Mobile Health Service (MHS)
There
were 6 camps in June.
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