Activity Update June 2016: Tadoba

Highlights:

Team:

Prameek Kannan – Conservation Officer

Bandu Kumare – Field Assistant

Highlights

·      5 km anti-plastic drive from Moharli to Nawargaon chowki, with over 100 people from Forest Department and Tourist guides on World Environment Day

·    Presented Satpuda Foundation’s TATR programmes at Induslnd Bank’s Tadoba Green Champions meet

·      Started solar-power water tank and electrification project in relocated Bhagwanpur village with Selco

·      Put out a forest fire near Khutwanda village

Conservation:

On World Environment Day, June 5, our Conservation Officer Prameek Kannan and field assistant Bandu Kumare conducted educational awareness programme for youths of Kutwanda village and also setup a bowl with water for birds.

Prameek and Bandu, together with staff of the Forest Department, did an anti-plastic drive. The Satpuda Foundation team and Forest Department staff collected garbage along a 5 km stretch from Moharli village to Nawargaon Chowki. The litter was handed over to the Forest Department for proper disposal.

On June 6^th, Prameek and Bandu met with a team from Selco, a Bangalore-based company that is collaborating with Satpuda Foundation on a solar-electrification project. The construction of two solar-powered 10,000-liter water tanks for the Bhagwanpur School as well as solar electrification of the school began today. Prameek and Bandu followed up this work on 9^th, 10^th, 12^th, 13^th, 14^th, 15^th, 16^th, 17^th, 18^th, and 29^th June.

On June 18^th, Prameek and Bandu went to Hotel Jharna Jungle Lodge at Navegaon gate, for the Tadoba Green Champions event organized by Induslnd Bank. Satpuda Foundation’s founder and President Kishor Rithe gave a talk and presentation on Human-Wildlife Conflict at the event. Following this, our Conservation Officer Prameek Kannan gave a presentation on Satpuda Foundation’s work at TATR. This was a great opportunity for networking, as, in addition to Induslnd Bank’s staff, members of other organizations from Mumbai, involved in wildlife and environmental conservation were also present, and Prameek and Bandu got a chance

to meet and interact with them.

On June 23^rd, Prameek and Bandu saw a forest fire in a bamboo grove by the side of the road near Khutwanda. The two then proceeded to put out the fire. It was unknown whether the fire was accidental or intentional.

Environment Education

There were no classroom programmes in June as schools were shut for the annual summer holiday.

Employment Cell

On June 8^th, Prameek and Bandu spoke with unemployed youths of Khutwanda village on the importance of drivers training and the employment opportunities for drivers around Tadoba and further afield.

On June 21^st, Employment Officer Ajay Poddar visited TATR, and spoke with unemployed youths of Mudholi, Khutwanda and Katwal.

Education Van

There were no film shows in June as schools were shut for the annual summer holiday.