Activity Update February 2019: Satpura Tiger Reserve

Highlights:

Check dam built by villagers near Matkuli

Bandhan - Forest Dept. officials speak to villagers on forest fires

Jhirpa - Village women learn tailoring and embroidery

Khanchari - Dr. Manohar Khode examines a child at our free medical camp

Matkuli - Our colleague Hamid conducts an
environment education programme in the village school

Students building a check dam near Mehandikheda

Sitadongri - Our colleague Hamid conducts
an environment education programme in the village school

THE FULL REPORT

Team:  Ashfaq Aarbi – Conservation Officer

            Hameed Khan – Field assistant

            Aabid khan -      Field assistant

Highlights

·      11 water conservation voluntary work projects during the month – built 5 check dams and cleaned 6 water bodies

·      13 awareness programs on forest fires

·      Organised Nature camp program at Madhai

·      Classroom visits to 25 schools as part of our environment education program – attended by 1,185 students

·      4 awareness meetings on stall feeding and fodder management

·      Follow-up on skill development training program organised by us earlier 

·      Continued work on LPG distribution through Ujjwala Yojna

·      Medical camps in 6 villages - 125 patients treated

Conservation

During February, we organised 11 programs related to water conservation, details of which are given above.

On February 19, we organised a program to build a check dam on a stream around 2 km from Mehandikheda village. A team comprising of 11 students and 1 teacher from Government Primary School (GPS), Mehandikheda and Hameed built the dam. The resultant water body will benefit wildlife at night. Spotted deer, monkeys and leopards are regularly spotted in the area. 

Four similar programs were organised at Matkuli, Aaditoriya and Mehandikheda on February 19, 26 and 27.

On February 25, we organised a program to clean water bodies in the jungle around 1 km from Mehandikheda village. The water bodies were covered with leaves and organic litter and animals were finding it difficult to drink. Our team, consisting of field assistant Hameed Khan and 10 children from Mehandikheda cleared the litter and made the water bodies accessible to the animals again. Spotted deer are regularly seen around these water bodies while there are occasional sightings of sloth bears, wild dogs, gaur and leopards.

Five similar programs were organised at Mehandikheda, Maili, Almod and Aaditoriya on February 25 and 27.

Forest Patrolling

During the month, we participated in joint forest patrolling work with Forest Department at Pisuwa, Mehandikheda, Jhirpa, Aaditoriya and Karer. Participants included Mr. Shivnarayan Devda (Forest Guard), Pawan Thakur, Santosh Kumar (forest chowkidars) and Eco Development Committee members.

Awareness program on forest fires

During the month, our team organised 13 programs in villages to promote awareness about forest fires and the need for everyone to join hands in fighting fires. In 3 of the meetings, local staff of the Forest Department joined us in addressing the villagers.

The details are given in the table below.

Nature Orientation camp

On February 1-2, we helped conduct a nature camp under “National Green Corps” program at Madhai for school children from villages in the East Pachmarhi and Denwa buffer regions. The camp focused on wildlife, nature and environment conservation.

This program was attended by Mr. Mahendra Mishra (scientist), Mr. Dilip Chakravarti (Program Officer) and 30 school children from villages in our area of operations.

The entire cost of the program was borne by the Environment Planning & Coordination Organization, Bhopal.

Education 

During the month, our team organised 25 lectures to educate students about nature and wildlife conservation.

Awareness program on stall feeding and fodder management

During the month, we organised 4 awareness meeting on stall feeding and fodder management issues (cattle sheds, stall feeding and fodder plantation and cattle castration etc.) jointly with Forest and Animal Husbandry departments. These program were attended by Mr. Sharif Khan (Deputy Ranger), Assistant Veterinary Field Officer, local forest guards and villagers.

Employment Cell- Training Program

We had identified 30 women from Jhirpa, Khanchari, Karer and Aaditoriya villages to get trained in sewing/tailoring. This program, organised by Nehru Yuva Kendra Chhindwara, started on December 15, 2018 and is scheduled to run till March 14, 2019. During February, we made a follow-up visit to check on the progress of the trainees.

LPG Gas distribution

During the month, we continued work on distribution of LPG connections started earlier. We spread awareness of the scheme to ensure more villagers took it up and assisted them in filling up the required forms and in submitting the required documents. Increased use of LPG will reduce demand for fire wood and thus reduce pressure on forests.

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 Satpuda Tiger Reserve, are run by the Mobile Health Service (MHS) of Satpuda Foundation.

There were health camps in 6 villages in February.