Activity Update April 2019: Satpura Tiger Reserve

Highlights:

Matkuli - Environment education programme
organised by us in the village school

Matkuli - Our colleague Ashfaq addresses gathering
at a World Earth Day celebration

Matkuli - Villagers put water in containers for birds

Matkuli - Workshop for members of SHGs 

Pisuwa - School children dig a soak pit

Mehandikheda - Volunteers clean water body in the jungle 

Pisuwa - Soak pit dug on school premises

THE FULL REPORT

Team: Ashfaq Aarbi – Conservation Officer

            Hamid Khan – Field assistant

            Aabid Khan -  Field assistant

Highlights

·      12 water conservation voluntary work projects during the month – 10 water bodies cleaned; 2 soak pits dug

·      6 vermi-compost units prepared

·      21 awareness programs on forest fires

·      16 forest patrols jointly with Forest Department

·      22 awareness programs on need to provide water for birds and putting up of  1,100  water pots/containers

·      4 unemployed young villagers placed in Madhya Pradesh Silk Federation, Pachmarhi

·      Organised Self-Help Group workshop

·      10 village meetings on Ujjwala Yojana.

·      Organised program on seed collection and nursery

·      Visit to check on status of  9 villages which have already been relocated

·      Celebration of World Earth Day at Matkuli

Conservation work: (Table 1)

During April, we organised 12 programs related to water conservation.

On April 7, we organised a program to clean a water body in the jungle near Mehandikheda village. The water body, which is located in the buffer zone, was covered with leaves and organic litter and animals were finding it difficult to drink. Our team, consisting of field assistant Hameed Khan and 14 students of Government Primary School (GPS) Mehandikheda, cleared the litter and made the water body accessible to the animals again. Spotted deer are regularly seen around the water body while there are occasional sightings of sloth bears and leopards.

Nine similar programs were organised at Pisuwa, Almod, Matkuli, Maili, Jhirpa, Aaditoriya, Karer and Khanchari on April 7, 12, 13, 14, 18, 25 and 26.

On April 15, we organised a program to dig a soak pit at the Government Middle School (GMS), Pisuwa. 12 children joined hands with Hameed 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 GPS, Pisuwa on April 15.

Organic farming- Drip irrigation and solar-powered water pump: (Table 2)

During the month, we helped construct 6 vermi-compost tanks at Mehandikheda, Aaditoriya, Khanchari and Karer with the support of Agriculture Department. We also trained villagers in making vermi-compost to reduce their dependence on chemical fertilisers and to promote organic farming in the upcoming agriculture season. We spoke to them about water conservation through drip irrigation and use of renewable energy like solar-powered water pumps, etc.

Forest fire management awareness program: (Table 3)

During the month, our team organised 21 awareness programs on forest fires. Fires are a recurring hazard during summers – both deliberate and accidental. Sometimes, villagers start fires as they believe that tendu leaves sprout better after such fires. In our awareness programs, we explained the dangers that such fires cause to the forest and to wildlife and how they could harm villages if they blazed out of control. In 2 of the meetings, local staff of the Forest Department joined us in addressing the villagers.

The details are given in the table above.

Forest patrolling: (Table 4)

During the month, we participated in forest patrols with Forest Department in buffer zone villages. Participants included Mr. Shivnarayan Devda, P.R. Moodotiya (Forest Guards), forest chowkidars and Eco Development Committee members.

Water pots for birds: (Table 5)

Our teams work across the landscape to provide water to birds during the scorching summer. Our team motivates villagers to put up small containers with water around the villages and their outskirts for birds to quench their thirst.

During April, we arranged for 1,100 containers to be placed at suitable places in trees, roofs of houses and buildings.

Employment Cell - Placement: (Table 6)

Four young villagers got jobs in April with our assistance.

Details of the placements are in the table above.

Self-Help Group Workshop

We organised a Self- Help Group (SHG) workshop at Matkuli on April 15 which focussed on SHG review, grading, selection of livelihood activity and loan distribution. This program was attended by Block Coordinator NRLM, bank officials and SHGs from 10 villages.

Ujjwala Gas Yojna

During the month we organised 10 programs on Ujjwala Yojana, under which eligible applicants get free cooking gas connections. This helps reduce villagers’ dependence on firewood and thus eases pressure on forests. The programs were held at Matkuli, Mohgaon, Chillod, Khari, Duddi, Bandhan, Nandiya, Gutkheda, Sakri, Churni and Supdongar between April 20 and 25. This program was supported by the Food Inspector, Pipariya and Tamiya.

Seed collection and Nursery

On April 9 and 18, we organised programs to collect seeds of native plant varieties that can be used for our proposed plantation programd during the forthcoming monsoon. Participants included teachers and students of Government Higher Secondary School Jhirpa, Matkuli and Government Middle School Tekapar, Pisuwa.

Relocated villages

Ashfaq and Hameed Khan visited the relocated villages of Anjandhana, Jamandhonga, Dhargaon, Sonpur, and Muar during April to follow up on the status of the relocated villagers. Satpura Tiger Reserve and the Zilla Panchayat administration have asked Satpuda Foundation to focus on young villagers from relocated villages in our livelihood activities.

Celebration of Earth Day

On April 21, we organised a program to celebrate Earth Day at Matkuli. Water conservation was discussed at the meeting. Following the meeting, villagers voluntarily dug a trench to collect water leaking from an overhead tank. This makeshift water tank now provides drinking water for domestic livestock, while, earlier, the water was being wasted. The program was attended by Mr. N.P. Tiwari (Range Officer East Pachmarhi), Mr Kamal Kishor Pal (Sarpanch - Matkuli), Deputy Ranger, Forest Guard and around 50 villagers from Matkuli.