The City-dweller and the Tiger: Activity Update February 2018: Pench Madhya Pradesh

Highlights:

Above, below: volunteers cleaning the area around a hand pump

Field Assistant Niranjan repairing a biogas stove in a villager's home

Deori - awareness programme on organic farming and conservation

Doodhgaon - conservation slogans painted on the walls

Mohgaon: conservation slogans painted on the walls

Field Assistant Kamlesh Pawar takes children from Marjatpur
on a nature trail

Dr Zanzal at our free health camp at Turia

THE FULL REPORT

Team: Amit Awasthi – Conservation Officer

Niranjan Hinge, Kamlesh Pawar – Field Assistants

Highlights

· 2 voluntary work projects for community assistance – areas next to hand pumps cleaned at Khamba and Bisenpur

· One rally with conservation message organised

· 3 biogas units repaired by Niranjan Hinge

· 1 compost pit prepared at Thuyepani

· 6 awareness programme on organic farming, livelihood training and conservation

· 4 nature trails – attended by 45 students

· Painting of conservation slogans on walls in 7 villages

· 18 classroom education lectures organised - 437 students attended

· 6 medical camps organised in February– 150 patients treated

· 5 unemployed youths get jobs through our Employment Cell

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· Candidates identified for livelihood training

Conservation

On February 25, Amit and Niranjan led a team of 7 people in a programme to clear wild growth around a hand pump at Satosha. Wild growth had proliferated around the hand pump and access to the hand pump was affected. Our team removed the wild growth and cleaned the area.

--> A similar programme was organised on February 20 to clear the area next to a hand pump at Bisenpur.

On February 13, Kamlesh organised a rally in Deori village to spread awareness about the harmful effects of plastic on the environment. During the rally, 53 students of Government Middle School raised slogans on the ill effects of plastic waste. During the rally, the students collected plastic waste along the main road in the village. Plastic waste like wrappers, polythene carry bags, plastic bottles etc. were collected. The students also requested the local shop owners to stop using polythene bags. A ban on plastic carry bags has been imposed in Madhya Pradesh by the state authorities and the rally helped spread awareness on this issue amongst the villagers.

On February 18, Niranjan repaired a defunct biogas unit in a house in Aamajhiri village. The stove unit had waste material accumulated in the gas outlet which had blocked the gas flow. Niranjan also checked the biogas digester tank for faults. 3 villagers assisted him.

On February 20, Niranjan performed a similar repair in another house in Aamajhiri.

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Our team encourages organic farming as part of our strategy to reduce the impact of chemical fertilisers on fields adjoining prime wildlife areas. Part of our work includes assistance to villagers in setting up compost pits. We helped set up a compost pit at Aman Dhurwey’s residence in Thuyepani on February 28.

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During the month, Amit organised 6 awareness programmes on organic farming and alternative livelihood options that reduce villagers’ dependence on forests. The programmes were also used to promote awareness about conservation. Details of the programmes are given in the table above.

In February, a total of 4 nature trails were organised by Kamlesh and Niranjan for the children of Doodhgaon, Marjatpur, Mohgaon and Aamajhiri villages. On the trails, our staff spoke to the children about the various local plants and common medicinal uses of those plants. They also spotted and identified local birds during the trails and explained their role in nature.

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During the month, we arranged for conservation slogans to be painted on walls of houses in prominent places in 7 villages to promote awareness about conservation.

Education

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There were 18 environment education programmes in classrooms during February.