Activity Update September 2019: Pench-Bor Wildlife Corridor

Mandar Pingle – Conservation Officer

Highlights

• Organised 3 meetings of women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs)in Telgaon, Bidgaon
• Information on various  training programs provided to young villagers
• Information on compensation for crop damage by wildlife given to farmers of Lohgad and Temburdoh 

Activity

On 17 September, we organised a meeting of members of Gayatri Mahila Bachat Gat of Telgaon. The group had won a prize of ₹50,000 under the ‘Hirkani’ competition organised by the Maharashtra State Self Employment and Entrepreneurship Development Department. The award was to encourage the development of micro and small enterprises. The group has been engaged in making paper bags for the past year. During the meeting, the group made resolutions regarding utilisation of these funds. The group has decided to lend money to both members and non-member villagers for the purpose of self-employment or setting up of micro-enterprises. Mandar helped the group to understand the process of lending, deciding the rate of interest and calculating the instalments payable by the borrower. A follow-up meeting with the Self-Help Group was organised on 30 September in Telgaon.

On 18 September, Mandar arranged a meeting of the members of Jai Seva Mahila Bachat Gat of Bidgaon. During the meeting, Mandar assisted the group in addressing various issues related to the proper functioning of the Self-Help Group. The group has started a spice processing micro-enterprise in July 2019. 

In September, Mandar provided information on various training programs being provided by the Rural Self-Employment Training Institute in Nagpur. Information on hospitality training at Sillari by Pratham Arora Centre for Education was provided to unemployed young villagers from Telgaon, Bidgaon, Temburdoh and Lohgad. Mandar also provided information on small-scale poultry farming to farmers from Telgaon and Lohgad. Information regarding four-wheeler driver training was also given to young villagers from Telgaon, Lohgad and Umari.

During village visits in September, Mandar gave information on schemes of compensation for crop damage done by wild animals. Referring to the Government Resolution on compensation, Mandar explained the process of application for compensation, documents to be provided during the application and where to submit the application. Mandar shared the contact details of the concerned Forest Department staff with the farmers. Mandar also urged the farmers to strictly avoid use of electrocution or poisoning as a means to counter crop damage by wildlife, and explained to them that these methods were illegal. He also provided information on alternate solutions like solar-powered farm fencing to prevent crop damage by wild animals.