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| Adegaon - Our field assistant Kishor discusses livelihood options with members of women's SHG |
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| Adegaon - Dr. Gulde treats a child at free medical camp |
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| Adegaon - Students and young villagers join in an anti-plastic programme organised by us |
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| Bhamdeli - Students learn about water conservation through a film show and lecture |
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| Katwal - Members of women's SHG participate in village cleanliness drive |
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| Katwal - Students of Zilla Parishad school play a game that teaches how all species are dependent on each other |
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| Mr Kunal Sharma with guides from Khutwanda Gate |
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| Village volunteers building a check dam |
THE FULL REPORT
Team:
Conservation Officer:
Mr. Ajay Poddar
Field Assistant: Mr.
Kishor Dudhbarai
Highlights of the month:
·
4 anti-plastic programs and programs to clean areas around
hand pumps - 105 villagers participated
·
2 check dams built - 26 villagers participated
·
9 environment education programs- 328 students attended
·
Nature guides’ personality development program – 20 guides
attended
·
6 women’s SHG meetings were organised - 135 members attended
·
7 VEDC meetings were organised - 195 members attended
·
8 young villagers selected for driving training program
·
6 Mobile Health Unit (MHU) camps –283 patients treated
·
Man-animal conflict survey carried out in buffer zone villages
Conservation
On December 13th, 14th, 18th
and 29th, we organised cleanliness and anti-plastic programs in Dewada,
Katwal, Adegaon, and Mudholi. Programs were organised to sanitise the area
around the villages, removing litter that sometimes leads wildlife to venture
into villages, causing man-animal conflict. We collected over 10 kilograms of
plastic litter through voluntary public participation (voluntary work project).
A total of 105 villagers including members of women’s Self Help Groups (SHGs)
volunteered for these activities.
On December 7th and 27th,
we constructed check dams near Mudholi and Kondegaon villages through a voluntary
work project. 27 villagers volunteered for the construction work.
Education Program
On December 3rd ,4th
,8th ,15th ,18th ,18th ,21st
and 26th, we organised environment education programs in Zilla Parishad (ZP) schools of
Khutwanda, Katwal, Sitarampeth, Bhamdeli, Dewada and Adegaon. We organised these programs with students and
teachers in order to make them aware of the importance of biodiversity and
conservation. We taught them about nature and wildlife’s value through
interactive sessions and various nature games. A total of 311 students
participated in the programs.
On December 19th ,
nature club ‘Leopard’ of ZP school, Dewada set up a kitchen garden on the school campus. 17 students
of the club participated in the activity.
Employment Cell
We organised 8 village eco-development committee
(VEDC) meetings and 4 women’s Self Help Group (SHG) meetings, focusing on
alternative livelihoods which would reduce dependence on the forests that leads
to man-animal conflict and degradation of forests.
A total of 330 villagers attended these meetings
and shared their thoughts.
In the SHG meetings, we discussed forming
groups of interested people who are willing to be trained in making paper bags and
in embroidery. This training will be provided by Nehru Yuva Kendra (NYK),
Chandrapur. A total of 135 members attended these meetings.
In the VEDC meetings, we discussed and explained
short- and long-term benefits of fodder plantation. We also discussed increasing numbers of man-animal confrontations in the Moharli buffer area and how
to prevent this by adopting cattle sheds and stall feeding for their cattle,
which sometimes fall prey to medium and large carnivores in the area. A total
of 195 villagers attended these meetings.
On December 25th and 26th,
we organised a ‘Nature Guides Development Program’ for guides of Khutwanda gate (core)
and Moharli gate (core/buffer). Mr. Kunal Sharma (GIZ India) spoke about how to
improve as nature guides and the need to promote ecotourism. 20 nature guides
attended these sessions.
8 more eligible young villagers from Tadoba
buffer registered for four-wheeler driving training, which is being organised
by SF and funded by Maharashtra State Forest Department. We are making a list of 50 unemployed eligible
young villagers and training will start later in January month.
Details of the programs are given below:
List of the candidates (four-wheeler driving training)
Mobile Health Unit:
Team: Dr. Aashish Gulde, MHU driver – Mr. Gajanan Shanware, MHU
coordinator- Mr. Deepak Gayna
6 camps were organised by us in December at
which a total of 283 patients got free treatment and medicines.
