Activity Update March 2018: Pench Madhya Pradesh

Highlights:

THE FULL REPORT

Team: Amit Awasthi – Conservation Officer

            Niranjan Hinge, Kamlesh Pawar – Field Assistants

 

Highlights

·      2 voluntary work projects for community assistance – area next to hand pumps cleaned in 2 villages

·      One Azolla tank created for cattle in Thuyepani

·      2 programmes on how to celebrate Holy in eco-friendly manner

·      World Water Day celebrated with conservation rally at Kundai

·      2  biogas units repaired by Niranjan Hinge

·      4 compost pits prepared at Khamarpani cluster

·      4 awareness programme on importance of Azolla grass and forest fires

·      4 nature trails – attended by 45 students

·      World Sparrow Day celebrated. Installed water pots for birds in 2 villages

·      Painting of conservation slogans on walls in 3 villages  

·      15 classroom education lectures organised - 336 students attended

·      6 film shows on nature and wildlife – attended by 245 students

·      6 medical camps organised– 253 patients treated

Conservation

On March 24, Niranjan Hinge along with 7 villagers of Telia village cleaned a water tank near a hand-pump through a voluntary work projects programme. During the summer season, water scarcity makes cattle to wander into the forest area in search of water. There is a high risk of the cattle being killed by carnivores like tiger or a leopard leading to human-wildlife conflict. Also diseases like foot- and-mouth can also be transmitted from the cattle to the wild herbivores. Hence, Niranjan encouraged the villagers to clean a water tank near a hand pump inside the village. Now the cattle do not have to venture close to the forest area.

A similar voluntary work project was organised at Thuyepani on March 25.

On March 19, one Azolla tank was built for cattle and poultry at Sirpat Khapre’s house at Thuyepani. Azolla feed will improve milk productivity of the milch animals and also improve the quality of meat of the poultry animals. This will help reduce the cattle dependence on forest fodder.

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 organised 3 programmes on March 1 at Mohgaon, Potiya and Satosha.

On March 22, World Water Day, our team organised a function at Government Middle School, Kundai, to promote awareness about water conservation. As part of our programme, we organised a rally in which around 34 students walked through the village, chanting slogans on water, wildlife and nature conservation. Staff of Middle School and Primary School participated along with the students.  

On March 10, Niranjan repaired a defective biogas unit in a household from Turiya village. The stove unit had waste material accumulated in the gas outlet which had blocked the gas flow. Niranjan also checked the biogas digester tank for faults. 3 villagers assisted him.

On March 19, Niranjan performed similar repair in another house in Aamajhiri.

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 4 villagers dig compost pits – Kamal Singh Parteti of Chirrewani on March 4, Aakash Dhurwey of Thuyepani on March 18, Sahasram Farkare of Kundai on March 26, and Rajkumar Balerao of Mohgaon on March 27.  

During the month, Amit organised 4 awareness programmes to promote awareness about the benefits of Azolla feed. He also used the meetings to motivate villagers to assist in fighting fires in the forest. Details of the programmes are given in the table above.

In March, a total of 4 nature trails were organised by Kamlesh and Niranjan for the children of Doodhgaon, Thuyepani, Durgapur and Potiya villages. On the trails, our staff spoke to the children about the various plants and common medicinal uses of those plants. They also spotted and identified local birds during the trails and explained their role in nature.

On March 20, we celebrated World Sparrow Day in Mohgaon village. With the summer heat at its peak, our team has been motivating villagers to put up containers with water so that birds and small animals can quench their thirst. Around 40 containers were put up in 2 villages.

During the month, we arranged for conservation slogans to be painted on walls of buildings in prominent places in 3 villages to promote awareness about conservation.

Education  

There were 15 environment education programmes in classrooms during March.                 

Education van programme

There were 6 film shows on nature and wildlife conservation in March.

Mobile Health Service programme

Activity Update March 2018: Navegaon-Nagzira

Highlights:

THE FULL REPORT

Team:

Mukund Dhurve         - Asst.  Conservation Officer

Jivraj Salam                 - Field assistant

Surajlal Tekam            - Field assistant

Highlights

·      Joined Forest Department staff on 4 patrols

·      5 community assistance voluntary work projects to clean area next to hand pumps

·      4 anti-plastic programmes

·      3 waterholes cleaned in Comp. no. 109, 57 and 118

·      Organised 4 classroom environment education programmes in which 165 students were present.

·      Organised 6 film shows in which 990 students were present.

·      Organised 6 medical camps in which 199 patients got free treatment

·      Organised 2 VEDC meetings at Umarzari  and Sodlagondi

·      Celebrated World Wildlife Day at ZPPS, Mangezari -- 73 students were present

·      Celebrated World Sparrow Day at Ashram school, Koilari by making and installing artificial nests for birds

·      Celebrated World Forest Day at GES High school, Kuradi and Adilok High School, Bolunda

·      Celebrated World Water Day by repairing waterhole at Comp. no. 118

·      Celebrated World Climate Day at Bhimrao High School, Wadegaon -- 230 students and 7 teachers were present

Conservation 

Our team organised 5 community assistance programs in March to clear areas around hand pumps I different villages. Unemployed youths from Mangezari participated in all programmes which were led by Mukund and Jivraj. Details of the programmes are given in the table above.

Water had spilled over while people drew from the hand pumps and had stagnated, leading to proliferation of mosquitoes and insects. Our teams cleared the area, removing scum and organic growth and dug canals to drain away the water. 

Our team joined the Forest Department in day and night patrols on the roads linking Mangezari to Kodebarra, and Mangezari to Asalpani and in Compartments no. 109 and 112. Besides our staff, volunteers from a youth club at Mangezari also joined in the patrols. The youth club was set up with our assistance and is mentored by our Conservation Officer Mukund Dhurve.      

During the month, our team organised 4 anti-plastic programmes to clean polythene/plastic litter from villages. The programmes were organised on March 11, 15, 27 and 29 at Sodlagondi Kodelohara, Asalpani, and Sodlagondi and Jindatola villages respectively. Mukund, Salimkumar and Jivraj organised the programmes which were attended by villagers and village eco-development committee (VEDC) members. The plastic litter has been kept in our Mangezari office and will be sent to Tiroda for recycling.

The Government of Maharashtra has issued the buffer zone notification for the Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve. Following this, doubts have sprung up in the minds of villagers as to how they will be affected by the notification. Due to the doubts, some villagers are opposing the notification. To clear these doubts and misgivings, we organised 2 awareness programmes during March in Umarzari and Sodlagondi.

During the month, we also celebrated important days in the environmentalist calendar. On March 20, we celebrated World Sparrow Day at Ashram School, Koilari by teaching students to make artificial nests for small birds from cardboard boxes. We later guided the students in installing these boxes at suitable places on the school premises.

On March 21, we celebrated World Forest Day at GES High School, Kuradi and at Adilok High School, Bolunda by organising film shows with a conservation message. 

On March 22, we celebrated World Water Day through a programme to repair a waterhole in Compartment no. 118.

On March 23, we celebrated World Climate Day at Bhimrao High School, Wadegaon by organising a film show on climate change. The film was watched by 230 students and 7 teachers.

Education

There were 4 classroom programmes on environment education in March which were attended by 165 students.

Education van

There were 6 film shows in the following schools during March.

Employment Cell activities

We helped 3 villagers get employment during March. 

Two girls were placed as trainee nurses at Government Hospital, Tiroda. Mukund learned about the vacancies through a newspaper advertisement and approached the hospital with a list of eight ladies from villages where we operate. Two of them were selected.

Mobile Health Service

There were 6 health camps in March.