PUNE: Saving the tiger through as many ways as possible has become a mission with environmentalists.
The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) has set up a tiger cell' to save the wild cat's habitat by creating awareness among villagers living close to Tadoba-Andhari and the Pench tiger reserves to conserve the forest. The programme is a part of the Satpuda Landscape Tiger Project (SLTP) and is supported by the UK-based Born Free organisation.
The environmentalists believe that if the habitat is conserved, it will go a long way in saving the feline species that is on the verge of extinction.
Sanjay Karkare, education officer of the cell, who works in Tadoba and Pench (Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh) areas, said the mobile education unit focuses on undertaking activities in schools.
Last year, more than 229 programmes were conducted in schools in the peripheral areas of Tadoba-Andhari and Pench tiger reserves for over 10,000 children.
They were educated through lectures, slide-shows, paintings, competitions, nature camps and field outings. Besides, activities such as Nisarga Melawa' and Tadoba Mahostav' are also held.
Karkare said the villagers are completely dependent on forests for fuel wood, cattle grazing, bamboo, flowers (to make liquor) and leaves. For example, the villagers in Tadoba are dependent on bamboo to weave baskets that is sold.
"If we tell them about climate change and its impact, it may not percolate as 80-90 per cent are tribals, underprivileged and living below the poverty line. So we simply explain them the importance of forests for themselves and the need to conserve them for future generations,'' he said.
"We have to find an alternative to stop this dependency on forest wealth. In some villages we educated them and gave them bamboo shoots to grow near their huts instead of cutting the forest plants,'' said Karkare.
Mohan Jha, field director of the Pench tiger reserve, also stressed on the need for awareness among villagers. "They are the primary stakeholders of forest wealth and hence it is important to educate them," he said.
On the Tiger Cell' programme, Karkare said that one of the success stories was the orientation programme held for women at Tikade village. "They were educated through slide-shows, films and lectures. We covered forest fire, fuel wood and bamboo collection, water-forest relation, importance of forests for future generations. After the orientation, the women decided to repair bio gas units. Earlier, the education officers had visited this village thrice to repair the bio gas units but the villagers were unwilling to let them,'' he said. There are also instances where students put out forest fires, saved birds and took up plantation.
Karkare, who works in 62 village schools, said, "We plan to make a questionnaire and distribute it among teachers and students to know their awareness level about forests and its conservation. We will also get their feedback.''
The social forestry department supported the cell's activities by sponsoring a camp for students and teachers of the National Green Corps. Department director Prakash
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