Activity Update February 2017: Pench Maharashtra

 Highlights:

Kolitmara - College students from Nagpur learn about
biodiversity in Pench through a nature trail

Kolitmara - College students from Nagpur learn about local plants 

Ghatpendari - Our Conservation Officer Bandu Uikey
teaches village children about local plants

Sawara - School students learn about wildlife through a photo exhibition

Khudsapar - Dr. Zanzal examines a villager at our free medical camp 

 Kirangi Sarra - Volunteers clean a waterhole in the jungle 

Usripar - Our field assistant Dilip explains Government rules
for claiming compensation for crops damaged by wildlife

 Wagholi - Village children learn about the importance of wetlands
on World Wetland Day

Wagholi - wildlife film screening for villagers

THE FULL REPORT

Team: Mandar Pingle – Conservation Officer

            Bandu Uikey – Conservation Officer

            Dilip Lanjewar – Field assistant

Highlights

·      One artificial water hole cleaned in core area of East Pench Range

·      Bandu organised one anti-plastic campaign near a lake on World Wetland day, 18 students participated in the program

·      Dilip led a total of 19 villagers on foot patrols on three occasions while Bandu led 8 villagers along with Forest Department staff on night patrols twice

·      298 students addressed during 10 classroom education programs

·      Mandar and Bandu were invited to address 92 students of Nagpur University during a National Social Service camp in Kolitmara

·      61 patients from Khudsapar, Usripar and Kirangi Sarra villages were treated during 3 medical camps

·      270 students and 58 villagers were present during 5 film shows in schools and 1 night show respectively

·      One meeting was held in Usripar and Khudsapar each to inform villagers about compensation schemes for crop damage

·      One meeting was organised in Ghoti village to inform villagers about precautions to be taken to avoid man-animal conflict

·      Dilip assisted 3 youths while Bandu assisted 4 in successfully applying for jobs as ‘Fire-watcher’ with Forest Department

·      World Wetland Day celebrated in villages of Pench Tiger Reserve   

Conservation

On February 24, Dilip joined Forest Department staff and 4 villagers from Kirangi Sarra in a programme to clean an artificial water hole near Tuyapaar Forest Protection Hut. The water hole is the source of drinking water for the wildlife in this area. It is necessary to clean the water hole at the onset of summer season as the water in the streams and rivulets dries during this time of the year. By cleaning the water hole, we ensure that the water is clean and safe for wildlife.

On February 11, Dilip Lanjewar led 6 members of the Village Eco-Development Committee (VEDC) from Khapa village on a regular community patrol in the forest adjoining their village. During the foot patrol, the team searched for any signs of illegal activities like logging or poaching. They also searched for sign of presence of any wildlife near the village. The team did not find any illegal activity during the patrols. Similar such patrol was organised by Dilip Lanjewar along with 6 villagers of Ghoti on February 10 and 7 villagers on February 16. Bandu Uikey also led 5 villagers from Ghatpendhari village on February 19 and 8 villagers on February 28 on foot patrol during night time.

On February 5, Dilip organised a meeting attended by 12 villagers from Usripar village to inform them about the process of applying for compensation for crops damaged by wildlife. The villagers had suffered loss of crops due to depredations by wild boars.

Dilip informed the villagers the correct way of applying for compensation to the concerned Forest Department authorities and assisted them with the application. He also advised the villagers to install solar powered fencing along the boundary of their farms to prevent crop damage in future.

Similarly, Dilip assisted 10 villagers from Khudsapar village in applying for compensation for crop damage. During the meetings, Dilip read out the appropriate Government Resolution to ensure that the villagers understood the nuances of the compensation scheme.

During the month of February, villagers from Ghoti (Lahan) encountered a tigress on numerous occasions near their village. This had made the villagers to panic and fear for their lives and also for their livestock. Mandar and Dilip, therefore, organised a meeting in the village on February 6 to inform the villagers about the precautions that the villagers needed to take in such a scenario. During the meeting, Range Forest Officer Mr. Chandratre was present. Mandar, Dilip and Mr. Chandratre advised the villagers against venturing near the forest area before dawn or after dusk. They asked villagers not to let their livestock graze near the forest area to avoid any conflict with the tigress.

On February 11 and 12, Mandar Pingle and Bandu Uikey were invited to guide students of various colleges of Nagpur University attending a week long camp organised at Kolitmara village.

On this occasion an informative lecture session was organised during which Mandar and Bandu addressed the students about need for wildlife and environmental conservation. Mandar made the students aware about the threats to environment such as various forms of pollution and their sources. The students also took part in nature trail to learn about bird watching during which Mandar and Bandu introduced them to numerous birds like racket tailed drongo, rufous tree-pie, white eyed buzzard etc.

Mandar and Bandu then organised a programme with support from Forest Department during which documentary films such as ‘Queen of Trees’ and ‘Kathlabodi: Tigress Rescue’ were shown.

On February 5, Bandu Uikey took 17 students of Zilla Parishad Primary school, Ghatpendari, on a nature trail. During the trail, Bandu was accompanied by the staff members of Special Tiger Protection Force of the Maharashtra Forest Department.

On the nature trail, Bandu helped the kids to spot numerous birds like purple sunbird, drongo, tree-pie, coppersmith barbet etc. As it is the spring season, there are blossoms which attract various bird and insect species. Bandu also taught the kids to read signs like pugmarks and hoofmarks for the presence of wildlife while on the nature trail.

Education

Employment Cell

On January 11, Maharashtra Forest Department had organised a workshop in Lendezari village to train women in making lac bangles. On February 8, Dilip organised a meeting with 12 women from Ghoti village to encourage them to take up bangle making. Dilip formed a Self Help Group (SHG) of these women and assisted them in procuring materials for the business with help from Forest Department and VEDC of their village.

During the month of February, Forest Department hired numerous youths from villages of buffer area of Pench Tiger Reserve as ‘forest fire watchers’ for the next 3 months. These fire watchers are required to spot fires, to inform the officers and to also assist them in fighting the fires. Satpuda Foundation assisted the following villagers in getting jobs as fire watchers.

Education van programme

There were 6 film shows during the month.

Mobile Health Unit (MHU)

We organised 3 medical camps in February in which 61 villagers got free treatment and medicines.