Activity Update June 2018: Navegaon-Nagzira

Highlights:

Cleaning a waterhole in the park with help from village volunteers

Forest patrol with villagers

Compost pit being dug at Bagadband

Meeting with Womens' SHG at Jindatola to discuss livelihood options

Kodebarra - meeting to discuss fisheries as a livelihood 

Kurhadi - students display seeds they have collected for plantation

Mangezari - villagers and government officials discuss livelihood options

Dr Zanzal examines a patient at our Pitezari medical camp

THE FULL REPORT

Team:

Mukund Dhurve         - Asst.  Conservation Officer

Jivraj Salam                 - Field assistant

Surajlal Tekam            - Field assistant                                                                            

Highlights

·      5 community assistance programmes to clean area next to hand pumps/wells

·      5 anti-plastic programmes

·      3 waterholes cleaned

·      Organised 6 medical camps in which 232 patients got free treatment

·      Organised 2 VEDC meetings

·      Organised 2 classroom environment education programmes - 217 students present

·      Organised 7 film shows for 436 students

·      Celebrated World Environment  Day with 37 VEDC members and villagers

·       Organised workshop on fisheries for the villagers of Mangezari, Kodebarra, Jindatola, and Govindtola

·      Built 9 compost pits

Conservation 

Our team organised 5 community assistance programmes in June 3, 8, 11, 12 and 14, to clear areas around hand pumps/wells at Bodalkasa, Bhajepar, Chorkhamara, Asalpani and Sodlagondi. Unemployed young villagers from Mangezari participated in all programmes, which were led by Mukund and Jivraj. Details of the programmes are given in the table above.

Water had spilled over while people drew from the hand pumps and had stagnated, leading to proliferation of mosquitoes and insects. Our teams cleared the area, removing scum and organic growth and dug canals to drain away the water. Our team joined the Forest Department in day and night patrols in Compartment no. 112, 109 and 94 and on the road linking Mangezari to Jindatola. Besides our staff, volunteers from a youth club at Mangezari also joined in the patrols. The youth club was set up with our assistance and is mentored by our Conservation Officer Mukund Dhurve.   

Our team joined the Forest Department in day and night patrols in Compartment no. 112, 109 and 94 and on the road linking Mangezari to Jindatola. Besides our staff, volunteers from a youth club at Mangezari also joined in the patrols. The youth club was set up with our assistance and is mentored by our Conservation Officer Mukund Dhurve.     

During the month, our team organised 5 anti-plastic programmes to clean polythene/plastic litter from villages. The programmes were organised on June 3, 8, 11, 12 and 14 at Bodalkasa, Bhajepar, Chorkhamara, Asalpani and Sodlagondi villages respectively.

Mukund and Jivraj organised the programmes which were attended by villagers and village eco-development committee (VEDC) members. The plastic litter has been kept in our Mangezari office and will be sent to Tiroda for recycling.

The Government of Maharashtra has issued the buffer zone notification for the Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve. Following this, doubts have sprung up in the minds of villagers as to how they will be affected by the notification. Due to the doubts, some villagers are opposing the notification. To clear these doubts and misgivings, we organised 2 awareness programmes during June in Balapur and Thadezari.

On June 5, we celebrated World Environment Day at Mangezari in a programme which involved local staff of the Forest Department and 26 villagers. During the programme, we spoke to the villagers about the environment, impact to humans from environmental degradation and the need for conservation.

On June 23, we organised a workshop at Kodebarra on fisheries in which Government officials gave information about various state schemes to promote fisheries in villages. Mr. Shahare, from the Fisheries Department, attended the programme in which 13 villagers of Mangezari, Jindatola, Kodebarra and Govindtola were present.

During the month, we assisted villagers in building 9 compost pits at Bagadband and Asalpani as part of our ongoing programme to promote organic farming and reduce the use of chemical-based fertilizers in areas adjoining forests.

Environment Education

There were 2 classroom programmes on environment education in June.

Education van

There were 6 film shows in June.

On June 28, on a request from Divisional Forest Officer (Territorial) Mr Yuvraj, we organised an awareness programme on snakes, snake-bite prevention and treatment on the occasion of Vriksh Dindi programme organised by Maharashtra Forest Department and Green Earth Organisation at Chichgarh. Mukund Dhurve and Mandar Pingle spoke to around 350 villagers from nearby villagers. A film show was also organised.

Employment Cell activities

We helped one villager get a job and one villager to set up a small business in June.  

Employment Cell Training activities

We also identified the following candidates for training in different trades under Bank of India’s Star Swayam Rojgar Yojna. They will be sent for training in the coming months.

Mobile Health Service (MHS)

There were 6 health camps in June.

Activity Update June 2018: IUCN Project in the Pench-Bor & Melghat-Yawal corridors

Highlights:

Lohgad, Pench-Bor corridor: women interested in forming Self Help Groups
attend our meeting

Telgaon: Our team Mandar and Nilesh forming a new Self Help Group

Our awareness programme on rural development skill development
programmes from RSETI

Telgaon - Umrao Mahajan preparing his third azolla cultivation tank
for cattle fodder supplementation

THE FULL REPORT

Team: Mandar Pingle –Conservation Officer

Anirudh Kawishwar – Assistant Conservation Officer
            Nilesh Telang – Field Assistant

Highlights

• ·      Celebrated World Environment Day in Zari
• ·      Assisted 11 youth in appearing for permanent driving licence test
• ·      2 new women self-help groups (SHGs) formed in Bidgaon and Telgaon
• ·      Organised rural livelihood skill development programmes information session in Telgaon; 42 villagers attended
• ·      Gram sabhas organised in Telgaon, Bidgaon and Zari villages regarding Dr Shyamaprasad Mukherjee Jan Van Yojana

Activity details:

On June 5, Anirudh Kawishwar celebrated World Environment Day 2018 along with 30 students of Saint Paul Convent of Zari village. During the celebration, Anirudh explained the need to conserve the environment to the students. He explained the importance of protecting and preserving vital resources like water, soil, forests and air from pollution and misuse. Anirudh urged the students to participate in the Van Mahotsav which will be held in the month of July, and to plant saplings and ensure their survival.

On June 11, Anirudh helped 7 youths from Bhingara and 4 youths from Pingali in appearing for their permanent driving license test at Regional Transport Office (RTO), Khamgav in Akola district. These youths had participated in a four-wheeler driver’s training programme organised earlier by Satpuda Foundation in their villages.

On June 18, Satpuda Foundation organised an awareness programme in Telgaon Gram Panchayat on skill-development programmes offered by Bank of Maharashtra’s Rural Self Employment Training Institute (RSETI) at Nagpur. During the session, Mr Chandu Nagpure of RSETI provided detailed information on various skill-development training programmes offered by his institute like tailoring, repairing of mobiles, poultry farming etc. He explained to the villagers that these trainings can be availed of free of cost. He also explained that special training programmes can be arranged on-site in the villages provided that there are at least 35 villagers ready to undertake the same skill-development training.

Dilip Lanjewar, our field assistant, also spoke during the session. He also provided information on candidates from Pench Tiger Reserve whom he had assisted to undertake training earlier from RSETI, Nagpur. 42 villagers attended the session including members of Gram Panchayat, Telgaon.

On June 4, Satpuda Foundation helped 12 women from Bidgaon village to form a new Self-Help Group (SHG). Nilesh Telang organised a meeting with the women during which they decided the rules and regulations for the new group. They have named the group ‘Jai Seva Mahila Bachat Gat’.

Nilesh assisted them to open a bank account in Bank of India, Kelvadh branch. He also assisted the group in getting registered under Maharashtra State Rural Livelihood Mission (MSRLM). The group will get Rs 15,000 as start-up fund through MSRLM.

Earlier Satpuda Foundation had helped these women to take up scented candle-making.

Similarly on June 15, Satpuda Foundation assisted 12 women from Telgaon to form a new SHG ‘Gayatri Mahila Bachat Gat’. Nilesh helped them open a bank account in ICICI Bank, Telgaon branch. This group is also registered under MSRLM and will get Rs 15,000 as start-up funds through MSRLM.

Nilesh organised a meeting for women from Lohgad on June 28 to form an SHG as well as to provide details on MSRLM schemes. 14 women from the village attended the meeting.

On June 4, Satpuda Foundation helped 12 women from Bidgaon village to form a new self-help group (SHG). Nilesh Telang organised a meeting with the women during which they decided the rules and regulations for the new group. They have named the group as ‘Jai Seva Mahila Bachat Gat’.

Nilesh assisted them to open a bank account in Bank of India, Kelvadh branch. He also assisted the group to be registered under Maharashtra State Rural Livelihood Mission (MSRLM). The group will get Rs 15,000 as start-up funds through MSRLM.

Earlier Satpuda Foundation had helped these women to take up scented candle-making.

Similarly on June 15, Satpuda Foundation assisted 12 women from Telgaon to form a new SHG ‘Gayatri Mahila Bachat Gat’. Nilesh helped them open a bank account in ICICI Bank, Telgaon branch. This group is also registered under MSRLM and will get Rs 15,000 as start-up funds through MSRLM.

Nilesh organised a meeting for women from Lohgad on June 28 to form SHG as well as to provide details on MSRLM schemes. 14 women from the village attended the meeting.

Details of Gayatri Mahila Bachat Gat:

Details of Jai Seva Mahila Bachat Gat:

On June 25, Satpuda Foundation’s Anirudh Kawishwar along with Maharashtra Forest Department organised a gram sabha (village council) in Zari village regarding the Dr Shyamaprasad Mukherjee Jan Van Yojna. Earlier the scheme was intended for villages of buffer areas of Tiger Reserves. Now, the scheme has been expanded to villages of designated wildlife corridors in Maharashtra. During the meeting, Anirudh read the Government Resolution (GR) on the scheme and explained the benefits of implementing this scheme.

On June 3, Nilesh organised a gram sabha in Bidgaon village regarding formation of member body for Jan Van Yojna committee in their village. The villagers requested Satpuda Foundation to explain the rules and regulations regarding election of members. Nilesh read the Government Resolution and explained the rules and regulations for election of members.

On June 26, Mr. Umrao Mahajan from Telgaon prepared his third tank for cultivation of Azolla, a cattle fodder supplement. Mandar and Nilesh had earlier provided Mr. Mahajan training on cultivation of Azolla and its use. Mr. Mahajan is currently utilisng Azolla for his own cattle and plans to cultivate Azolla on a commercial basis in the future.

Activity Update May 2018: Tadoba

Highlights:

Field Assistant Kishor surveys young villagers interested in
skill-development programmes

Kishor talking to the VEDC and Gram Panchayat members
about human-wildlife conflict and crop damage

Kishor discussing grazing issues and fodder plantation with villagers
at Katwal

Katwal - village children on a conservation awareness rally

Katwal - villagers on a cleanliness drive

Khutwanda - children playing a nature game during our environment
education class

Khutwanda children preparing saplings for plantation later in the season

A nature trail with Khutwanda children
to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day

Mudholi - conservation awareness rally

Free health camp at Sitarampeth

Drawing competition in Mudholi on World Migratory Bird Day

THE FULL REPORT

Team:

Conservation Officer: Mr. Ajay Poddar

Field Assistant: Mr. Kishor Dudhbarai

Highlights of the month:

·      3 anti-plastic drives and programmes to prevent man-animal conflict - 96 villagers participated

·      100 saplings prepared - 9 children participated

·       2 women’s SHG meetings were organised - 22 members attended

·      5 VEDC meetings were organised - 91 members attended

·      Celebrated important days in green calendar: World Migratory Bird Day, World Recycling Day and World Biodiversity Day

·      Medical camps in 6 villages - 375 patients treated

Conservation 

On May 12^th, 16^th and 30^th, we organised cleanliness and anti-plastic programmes with villagers and students of Zilla Parishad (ZP) school of Katwal, Khutwanda and Bhamdeli village. Programmes were organised to clean the areas in and around the villages and around the hand pumps and wells as they choke the drainage. Wild growth and litter provide shelter to snakes and scorpions and attract scavengers.

On May 30^th, we prepared 100 saplings of species like Bahera, Chinch, Babul, Neem etc. with the help of local children. 9 children from Khutwanda village participated in the preparation of the saplings. The saplings are stored in Zilla Parishad School’s campus and will be planted during the monsoon.

Celebrations:

World Migratory Bird Day: On May 14^th and 15^th, we organised programmes to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day 2018. These included activities like bird watching, nature trail, classroom lecture and drawing competition.  Children from Mudholi and Khutwanda villages participated in the programmes and learned about migration of birds. A total of 35 children participated in the activities.

International Day of Biodiversity: On May 23^rd, we organised classroom lectures, presentation and biodiversity conservation awareness rally in Mudholi village. Children learned about floral and faunal diversity of central Indian landscape through the activities. Children chanted slogans in Marathi during the rally like “Vagh Vachwa, Jungle Vachwa” “Ek Mul, Ek Jhaad” etc. A total of 70 students participated in the activities.

World Recycling Day:  On May 17^th, we organised an anti-plastic drive and awareness rally about recycling and its importance. More than 40 children participated in the programme, which was held in Katwal village.

Programmes: 

Employment Cell

We organised 2 Self-Help Group (SHG) meetings and 5 Village Eco-Development Committee (VEDC) meetings, focusing on alternative livelihoods which would reduce dependence on the forests. 113 villagers attended these meetings.

In the VEDC meetings, we discussed and explained short- and long-term benefits of fodder plantation, cattle stall feeding to reduce grazing pressure on forest areas. We also discussed and encouraged farmers to adopt organic farming. 

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

Details of the programmes are given below:

Mobile Health Unit:

Team:  Dr. Govardhan Bhasme, MHU driver: Mr. Gajendra Shanware, MHU coordinator: Mr. Shailendra Shanware

6 camps were organised by us in May in which a total of 375 patients got free treatment and medicines.