THE FULL REPORT
Team: Ashfaq Aarbi – Conservation Officer
Hameed Khan – Field assistant
Aabid
Khan - Field assistant
Highlights
·
7 water conservation voluntary work projects
during the month– 5 check dams built and 2 soak pits dug
·
4 awareness programs on vermi compost
·
3 foot patrols with Forest Department
·
Classroom visits to 25 schools as part of
our environment education program – attended by 1,352 students
·
Selection of young villagers for livelihood
training
·
Organised meetings with farmers on livestock
and fodder management, crop protection, organic farming, horticulture
·
Medical camps in 6 villages - 235 patients
treated
·
Visit to check on status of 9 villages which have already been relocated
·
Celebration of Wildlife Week
Conservation
On October 13, we organised a program to build a check dam
on a stream near Matkuli village. A team comprising 17 students
from Government Higher Secondary School, Matkuli and our field assistants Hameed
and Aabid built the dam. The resultant water body will benefit wildlife at
night. Spotted deer, monkeys and leopards are seen in the area.
4 similar programs were organised at Pisuwa, Matkuli and
Mehandikheda on October 16, 18 and 20.
On October 21, we organised a program to dig a soak pit at
the Government Higher Secondary School, Matkuli. 10 children joined hands with
Hamid in digging the pit, which will take spillover water from a hand pump on
the school premises. The pit will help to recharge the water table around the
hand pump.
A similar program was organised at Chandanpipariya on
October 21.
Awareness program on vermi-compost
Forest patrolling
During the month we participated in forest patrolling work
with Forest Department at Pisuwa, Jhirpa and Aaditoriya. Mr. Srinarayan
Bhalavi, Shivnarayan Devda (Forest Guards), forest choukidars and Eco
Development Committee members were the other members of the patrolling team.
Education
During the month, our team organised 25 lectures to educate
students about nature and wildlife conservation.
Employment Cell
During the month we organised meetings with unemployed
villagers to discuss candidate selection for drivers training, tailoring and embroidery,
and poultry farming. This program was jointly organised with the National Rural
Livelihood Mission (NRLM) and Nehru Yuva Kendra Hoshangabad.
In October,
we completed the identification and selection of unemployed villagers in the
buffer villages of East Pachmarhi and Denwa buffer and prepared a proposal for
livelihood training. STR management will approach the concerned government
agencies to implement livelihood training programs under the NRLM. Details
of the programs are as follows:
Meeting on livestock and fodder management
On October 27 and 28 Satpuda Foundation organised meetings
on livestock and fodder management at Jhirpa, Khanchari, Aaditoriya and Duddi.
Cattle vaccination work was done at Chirrai, Tekapar, Matkuli, Bindakheda,
Chandanpipariya, Pisuwa and Maili.
Crop protection and organic farming
During the month we organised 17 meetings with villagers on crop
protection, organic farming and horticulture.
Details of the programs are as follows:
Mobile Health Service (MHS)
Satpuda Foundation organises medical camps at which
villagers get free treatment and medicines. These camps, whose schedule is set
in conjunction with the management of the Tiger Reserve, are run by the Mobile Health
Service (MHS) of Satpuda Foundation.
There were health camps in 6 villages in October.
Relocated villages
During the month, our team visited the relocated villages of
Kukra, Birjikhapa, Nankot, Sonpur, Anjandhana, Mongra, Manakachar, Fiferi and
Ghoghri, following up on the status of the relocated villagers. Our team organised meetings on employment
and livelihood awareness program on poultry farming, fisheries, tailoring &
embroidery, mushroom cultivation. Shirnarayan Dewda (Forest Guard) joined our
team of Ashfaq Aarbi, Hamid Khan and Aabid Khan in the program.
Wildlife Week Celebrations
During the first week of October, our team organised a
series of events across two ranges - East Pachmarhi and Denwa - to celebrate Wildlife Week.