Activity Update December 2017: Tadoba

Highlights:

Plastic litter clean-up drive, Dewada

Field Assistant Kishor Dudhbarai discusses fodder plantation and grazing
issues with villagers in Katwal

Katwal villagers removing wild growth to prevent snakes and scorpions
entering the area

Dr Shailesh Pawde at our free health camp at Kutwanda

Kutwanda villagers participate in a foot patrol, and learn to identify
scrapes and scats of different animals for efficient monitoring

Kondegaon villagers clear the area around a water tank

Conservation Officer Ajay Poddar briefs candidates for our
4-wheeler driver training programme

Our sports tournament at Mudholi, to promote conservation awareness

Participants at the sports tournament at Mudholi

THE FULL REPORT

Team:

Conservation Officer: Mr. Ajay Poddar

Field Assistant: Mr. Kishor Dudhbarai

Highlights of the month:

·      Nature camp organised for 15 students of Zilla Parishad (ZP) schools

·      6 anti-plastic drives and programmes to remove monsoon shrubs - 85 villagers participated

·      1 foot patrol in Tadoba buffer with the youths of Khutwanda village - 8 young villagers participated

·      3 women self-help group (SHG) meetings attended by 35 members

·      4 village eco-development committee (VEDC) meetings were organised - 43 members attended

·      Organised meeting for driver’s training programme - 40 unemployed vilagers attended   

·      Medical camps in 6 villages- 403 patients treated

Nature Orientation Camp 2017

On December 7^th and 8^th Satpuda Foundation organised a two-day nature camp for 15 students from 3 villages. Various nature-oriented activities were organised during the camp with the support of teachers from Zilla Parishad schools, Kondegaon, Mudholi and Katwal and Maharashtra State Forest Department.

The camp was held at the Forest Department’s nature camping site in Agarzari village where the children could learn about nature in a suitable ambiance. Activities like nature trails, nature games, bird watching, presentation on wildlife conservation, wildlife documentaries and film shows, anti-plastic and cleanliness drives were organised during the camp. We also organised a safari in the jungle for the students and the teachers where they were able to see spotted deer, antelope, mongoose, various bird species and the iconic tiger. The importance of nature and wildlife and their conservation was conveyed to the students through these activities.  

Conservation

On December 2^nd, 5^th,11^th, 12^th, 21^st   and 28^th  we organised cleanliness and anti- plastic programmes with villagers and students of ZP schools of Katwal, Khutwanda, Sitarampeth, Kondegaon and Dewada villages. Programmes were organised to clean the areas in and around the villages and to clear the monsoon growth around the hand pumps and wells as they choke the irrigation system. Clearing of the growth also helps reduce man-animal conflict as these shrubs provide shelter to snakes and scorpions.

On December 31^st, we organised a foot patrol in Tadoba buffer zone with 8 young villagers from Khutwanda, to monitor predator movement and threats around their habitat. The youths were taught the dynamics of community patrolling in forest areas and how to identify scrape marks on trees, scats (predator and prey), identification of plants, birds and insects.

Environment Education

On December 18^th, Satpuda Foundation and Zilla Parishad (ZP) School, Mudholi organised a sports tournament for students of Mudholi, Kondegaon, Khutwanda, Chandankheda, Ghosri and Katwal. Various sports activities were organised in order to convey the message of wildlife conservation and to raise awareness about wildlife in the landscape.

Employment Cell

We organised 3 self-help group (SHG) meetings and 4 village eco-development committee (VEDC) meetings, focusing on alternative livelihoods which would reduce dependence on the forests. 78 villagers attended these meetings. 

We introduced the villagers to district level vocational training and employment schemes like four-wheeler driver’s training programme, hospitality courses under Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gramin Kaushal Yojna (DDUGKY) etc.

On December 26^th, we organised a meeting with the candidates interested in four-wheeler driver’s training. During the meeting we also discussed other vocational training programmes like plumbing work, mobile repairing etc.  40 youths of buffer villages attended this meeting at our Moharli office.

Details of the programmes are given below: 

Candidates list

Mobile Health Unit

Team:  Dr. Shailesh Pawade, Coordinator: Mr. Ashok Athawle. MHU driver: Mr. Gajanan Shanware

6 camps were organised by us in December in which a total of 354 patients got free treatment and medicines.