Highlights:
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| Bantu Das got a job at Green Valley Resort, Mocha, through our Employment Highlights: |
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Shukhlal Uikey of Patpara, who got a job with our help
at Kanha Resort, Mocha
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| Batwar - Hand pump site before our programme to clean the area |
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| Batwar - Volunteers prepare soak pit |
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| Batwar - Hand pump site after our programme to clean it |
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| Chhapri - the site before our programme to create a waterhole |
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| Working on the waterhole |
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| Chapri - The waterhole completed by our team |
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| Add captionKutwahi - Students watch film on nature and wildlife conservation. |
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| Kutwahi - Vegetable patch set up by Mungiya Bai with our help |
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| Manegaon - Compost pit dug in Sukhman Dhurwey's backyard |
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| Manegaon - Plastic litter collected in anti-plastic programme organised by us |
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| Manegaon - Village children collect plastic litter in anti-plastic programme |
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| Patpara - Conservation slogan painted on wall by our team to promote awareness about environment protection |
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| Patpara - Conservation slogan painted on wall by our team |
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| Patpara - Sampath speaks to students of village school about nature and wildlife |
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| Patpara- Students of village school set off on conservation rally on World Wildlife Day |
THE FULL REPORT:
Team: Amit Awasthi – Conservation Officer
Sampathlal Dhurve – Field assistant
Highlights
·
Two voluntary
works for community assistance – area next to hand pump at Batwar cleaned and
soak pit dug; 1 water tank dug at Lamti Budbudi nallah on world water day in Chapri
·
3
compost pits prepared in 3 villages
·
Painting
of conservation slogans on walls in 4 villages
·
2
programmes on how to celebrate Holi in eco-friendly manner
·
2 anti-plastic
programmes
·
World
wildlife Day celebrated with conservation rally at Patpara and nature trail at
Kutwahi
·
Environment
education programme conducted in 12 schools – attended by 339 students
·
7 film
shows on nature and wildlife – attended by 314 students
·
2
unemployed youths get jobs with our help
Conservation
On March 13, Sampath led a team of 9 people
in a programme to clear wild growth around a hand pump at Batwar. Wild growth
had proliferated around the hand pump and access to the hand pump was affected.
Our team, which comprised 5 youths and 4 women from the village, removed the
wild growth and cleaned the area and make a soak pit.
In water conservation work, we organized a
programme to construct a water tank on March 22.
The site of the water-tank was Lamti near Budbudi nallah, a stream adjoining
the jungle around 0.5 km from Chapri village. Thirteen villagers, including
unemployed youths and village elders comprised the team which built the tank.
Wildlife and domestic livestock will both benefit from this water body. Tigers,
sloth bears and sambar deer are spotted regularly in the area.
Our team encourages
organic farming as part of our strategy to reduce the impact of chemical
fertilisers on fields adjoining prime wildlife areas. Part of our work includes
assistance to villagers in setting up vermi-compost tanks and compost pits.
During March, we helped 3 villagers dig compost pits – Patiram Dhurwey of Chapri on March 11, Sukhman Dhurwey
of Manegaon on March 16, and Aamo Bai Maravi of Batwar on March 28.
During the month, we arranged for conservation
slogans to be painted on walls of houses in prominent places in 4 villages to
promote awareness about conservation.
Holi is a major Hindu festival and is
normally celebrated by people splashing water and colours on each other.
Normally, a lot of water is wasted and chemicals in the colours contaminate the
soil and water bodies. Further, bonfires are lit and branches and trees are cut
for firewood. In our programmes, we explained the harm that is caused to the
environment by such activities and encouraged people to celebrate the festival
in a more eco-friendly manner. Instead of using firewood, villagers are advised
to burn rubbish and waste materials or cow dung. We organized 2 programmes on
March 22 at Manegaon and Chapri.
On March 8, our team organized an
anti-plastic programme at Dhamangaon. Sampath spoke to the villagers of the
village about the harmful impact of plastic/polythene on the environment and
motivated them to remove such litter from the village. The team of villagers and
students went around the village, collecting plastic and polythene
litter/waste, which were then buried in a pit on the outskirts of the village. A
similar anti-plastic programme was organized at Manegaon on March 12.
On
March 2, World Wildlife Day, our
team organized a function at Government Middle School, Patpara, to promote
awareness about wildlife conservation. As part of our programme, we organized a
rally in which around 40 students walked through the village, chanting slogans
for wildlife and nature conservation. Forest Guard (Mocha) Bhaghirath Singh Kakodiya
and teachers of the Middle School and Primary School participated along with
the students. A similar programme was organized at Kutwahi
where Amit and Sampath led children on nature trails. On the trails, they
helped children identify various species of plants and animals and explained
the importance of preserving our environment.
Education
During the month, our
team organized environment education programmes in 11 schools in the villages
in our area of operations.
Education van programme
There were 7 film shows on nature and wildlife conservation
in March.
Livelihood programmes
As part of our programme to reduce pressure
on forests, we have been encouraging villagers to take up alternative
livelihood options. In Kanha, we have been encouraging villagers to take up
vegetable farming as there are several resorts around Mocha and there is a
steady flow of tourists who require fresh vegetables. Over the past 2 years, we
have assisted around 30 villagers in taking up vegetable farming and they are
earning around 500-1,000 rupees a week in additional income. The vegetable
patches are typically of small size and located in the backyards of the
residences. Some villagers have now got enough confidence to expand and are
planning to use part of their farm land for this activity.
Employment Cell
We helped 2 youths get jobs during the month of March.
