Activity Update September 2019: Pench Maharashtra

Chargaon - Balkrishna leads villagers in a plastic litter clean-up drive

Chargaon - Villagers join our anti-plastic and cleanliness programme 

Ghoti - Villagers planting saplings

Kadbikheda - Dilip teaches students about local biodiversity

Khapa - Local farmers explain organic farming to villagers

Add caption Khapa - Students participate in rally
to mark World Vulture Day

Sawara - Dilip speaks to students about trees, on a nature trail

Sawara - Village children learn computer skills
through our IT Education Programme

Sawara - Village children learn to identify pug marks

Shiladevi - Balkrishna engages students in games about biodiversity

Wagholi - Sahdeo Tekam in his mushroom cultivation unit 

THE FULL REPORT

Team: 
Bandu Uikey – Assistant Conservation Officer
Dilip Lanjewar – Field Assistant
Balkrishna Bagmare – Field Assistant

Highlights - See TABLE 1

• Organised 3 foot patrols along with Forest Department  staff - 11 villagers participated
• One anti-plastic program organised in Chargaon - 50 villagers took part
• 32 villagers participated in workshop on organic farming
• Organised 17 classroom education programs - 442 students present
• Arranged 8 audio-visual presentations on wildlife conservation - 340 students present
• 20 students from Sawara village participated in nature trail and learned to identify birds
• Helped 6 unemployed young villagers gain employment as temporary labourers with the Forest Department
• Celebrated Ozone Day, Vulture Day and Tourism Day along with students and village elders

On 15 September, Dilip encouraged 5 villagers from Khapa to join Forest Department staff on a foot patrol in the forest area adjoining their village. During the patrol, the team looked out for signs of illegal activities like logging, and placing of snares for poaching. They also looked out for signs like pugmarks, scat or scratch marks made by tigers, leopards or sloth bears. The team also checked for signs of illegal grazing inside the forest area. No illegal activity was detected during the patrol. The team encountered signs of the presence of numerous ungulates like wild boar and deer. Similar patrols were carried out in Dhawlapur and Ambazari on 8 and 10 September. Balkrishna encouraged 3 villagers each from Dhawlapur and Ambazari to join the foot patrols. 

On 28 September, Balkrishna organised a team of 50 villagers from Chargaon to assist Gram Panchayat staff in an anti-plastic and public cleanliness program. The Gram Panchayat had organised the drive to remove plastic trash from roadside drains, hand pumps, school and Gram Panchayat premises. Balkrishna organised an awareness rally with school students to encourage villagers to participate in the voluntary work  program. Encouraged by the slogans chanted by the children, the villagers collected 70-80 kg of plastic trash in 15 sacks. The trash was sent to Parseoni town for disposal. This sort of drive helps prevent clogging of drains, thus preventing the spread of many waterborne diseases. 

On 10 September, Dilip organised a workshop on organic farming techniques for farmers of Khapa village. Taluka Krishi Sahayak, Mr. Pandhre was the resource person for the workshop. 20 farmers attended the workshop/ Mr. Pandhre taught them techniques to prepare organic compost and chemical-free pesticides and fertilisers. Dilip explained that chemical pesticides and fertilisers are harmful for soil fertility in the long run and destroy useful organisms like earthworms, spiders and micro-organisms which aid in improving farm produce. He also explained that chemical pesticides and fertilisers are very expensive, thereby reducing the profit margins for the farmers. On the contrary, the organic alternatives are cheap and can be prepared by the farmers themselves. Dilip also explained that the chemical fertilisers and pesticides are harmful for human and cattle health and that excessive use also pollutes nearby sources of water. 

On 22 September, Bandu Uikey assisted Doma Admachi, a farmer from Ghatpendari village in filing for compensation for crop damage caused by wild animals. On the night of 21 September, a herd of wild boar damaged the standing crop of corn, causing a loss of Rs 80,000. Bandu assisted the farmer in applying and submitting the requisite documents as per the directives of the government compensation scheme. Quick resolution of such claims helps deter the aggrieved farmers from resorting to retaliatory action against wildlife, thus reducing human-wildlife conflict. 

Environment education - See TABLE 2

In September, we organised 17 classroom sessions. 442 students of Zilla Parishad Primary (ZPPS) and Zilla Parishad Upper Primary (ZPUPS) schools attended these sessions. Dilip and Balkrishna spoke to students about various issues related to wildlife, soil, and water and biodiversity conservation. They engaged students in interactive games to effectively explain the issues. 

On 26 September, Dilip took 20 school students from Sawara village on a nature trail in the forest area adjoining the village. While on the nature trail, Dilip provided information on various plant and tree species. The students identified trees such as teak, palash, mahua, neem, banyan, fig and salai. Dilip explained that the trees not only provide people with many medicines and fruits but also support numerous animal, bird and insect species. Dilip assisted students in identifying hoof marks of herbivores like wild boar and sambar deer. During the trail, the students also observed many birds like rufous treepie, oriole, coppersmith barbet, yellow-footed green pigeon and Indian grey hornbill. Dilip helped the students observe the difference in the shapes of beaks, feet and wings of different birds. He further explained to the students that the birds have evolved based on their feeding habits and habitat.

On 3 September, Dilip organised an awareness rally in Khapa village to celebrate Vulture Day. 30 students of Zilla Parishad Primary school took part. The students chanted slogans to make villagers aware about the importance of the vulture as a scavenger. The declining numbers and threats posed to the vultures were also highlighted during the rally. 

Dilip organised a classroom program on 6 September in Zilla Parishad Upper Primary school, Sawara, to mark Ozone Day. During the session, Dilip addressed 70 students and explained the importance of the ozone layer for life on Earth. Chlorofluorocarbon emissions led to damage to the ozone layer. Dilip informed students that due to industrialisation, faulty agricultural practices and increase in vehicular traffic, greenhouse gas emissions have shot up alarmingly. Dilip explained to the students how greenhouse gases have led to substantial rise in temperatures and climate change. He urged the students to become responsible consumers and ensure that their actions do not harm our environment.

On 27 September, Dilip organised a plantation drive in Ghoti village to celebrate Tourism Day. 12 saplings of indigenous tree species like pimpal (ficus); karanji and neem were planted in the Anganwadi premises. 8 villagers took part in the plantation drive. The Anganwadi staff have taken the responsibility to ensure the survival of the planted saplings.

Educational Film shows - See TABLE 3

In September, we organised 8 audio-visual presentations in 8 schools. 340 students were present during the sessions. 

Employment Cell - See TABLE 4

In September, we assisted 6 unemployed young villagers from Ghoti and Ghatpendari villages in getting employed as temporary labourers with the Forest Department. The young villagers will be employed for 3 months during which they will assist Forest Department staff in protection as well as forestry activities. They will earn a salary of Rs 9,800 per month.