Activity Update May 2018: Navegaon-Nagzira

Highlights:

A drongo quenching its thirst at one of the water containers
placed around Nagzira village

The Conservator of Forests visiting our medical camp

Our Field Assistant Jivraj helps put out a fire inside the park
(Compartment No. 109)

A nature trail to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day

Our volunteers building a new waterhole in the park

Our volunteers on patrol in the park

Night patrol on the road from Mangezari to Jindatola

Dr Zanzal at our free health camp at Bodalkassa

Candle-making training for women of Jindatola

Plastic litter clean-up drive in Kodebarra

Volunteers clean the area around a hand-pump, Thadezari

THE FULL REPORT

Team:

Mukund Dhurve         - Asst.  Conservation Officer

Jivraj Salam                 - Field assistant

Surajlal Tekam            - Field assistant                                                                            

Highlights

·      7 community assistance voluntary work projects to clean area next to hand pumps

·      6 anti-plastic programmes

·      3 waterholes cleaned

·      Organised 6 medical camps in which 183 patients got free treatment.

·      Organised meeting of 3 village eco-development committees

·      Celebrated World Migratory Bird Day with 26 students from 3 villages

·      Celebrated World Biodiversity Day in programme with Forest Department

·      Assisted in fighting fire in forest once

·      Organised programmes to build 19 compost pits in 4 villages

·      22 water containers for birds installed in different places

Conservation  

Our team organised 7 community assistance programs on May 3, 11, 12, 13, 17, 23 and 27 to clear areas around hand pumps at Jindatola, Kodebarra, Balapur, Bagadband, Kodebarra, Asalpani and Pitezari.

Unemployed youths from Mangezari participated in all the 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.

During the month, our team organised 6 anti-plastic programmes to clean polythene/plastic litter from villages. The programmes were organised on May 3, 11, 12, 13, 23 and 27 at Jindatola, Kodebarra, Balapur, Bagadband, Asalpani and Pitezari villages respectively. Mukund and Jivraj organised the programmes in which villagers and Village Eco-Development Committee (VEDC) members participated.

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 a total of 3 awareness programmes during May in 3 villages – Sodlagondi, Chorkhamara and Pitezari.

On May 15, we organised a programme to celebrate World Migratory Bird’s Day at Jindatola Lake. 26 students from Kodebarra, Mangezari and Jindatola villages were present. During the programme, our team spoke to the students about migratory birds, their importance to the ecosystem and the need to protect the birds from poachers.

On May 22, we organised a programme to celebrate World Biodiversity Day. The programme was attended by several officials from the Forest Department including the Conservator of Forests, Divisional Forest Officer and Assistant Conservator of Forests. The presidents of several VEDCs were also present. Our team spoke to the gathering about the biodiversity of Gondia district and the need for conserving it.

During the month, our team assisted in fighting a fire in the forest in Compartment no. 109.

We organised programmes to build 19 compost pits at Mangezari, Jindatola, Kodebarra and Asalpani.

During the month, we also arranged for the installation of 22 water pots/containers in different places for birds to drink from.

Education

There were no education programmes during May as schools were shut for the annual summer vacation.

Employment Cell activities

We assisted 8 people in getting employment in May.  

We submitted a list to the Forest Department of candidates from villages in our area of operations. These youths want to be trained in driving four-wheelers. The Forest Department will arrange for them to be trained at Ashok Leyland Driving School, Chhindwara.

Mobile Health Service (MHS)

There were 6 health camps in May.