Ranthambhore is world famous tiger reserve, holding the most endangered Tigers in the western zone.
Tropical dry deciduous population of tiger is highly vulnerable because it is surrounded by villages making it an isolated island which needs to be protected by the villagers who graze and do agriculture very close to the tiger territory.
Keeping the tigers good will alive in the villagers is very important to keep the harmony.
The same condition of shrinking habitats and increasing population is the future of all tiger reserves in India. Hence it is the need of the hour to understand and start working on local population’s role in tiger conservation.
The main objective of the Solar Light distribution program was to connect with the local villagers – the tiger’s neighbours - Creating a good will in them.
Tiger Watch is a non profit organisation working around Ranthambhore for the conservation of tigers. Tiger watch also runs a successful antipoaching unit around Ranthambhore. Tiger watch gathers information related to poaching and trading of wildlife parts; this information is then passed to state police for conducting raids.
Volunteers and the paid informers are the main part of this information network.
Ranthambhore Solar Light and Tiger Conservation
Solar Light Project Partners –
- The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) [www.teriin.org]
Responsibility of TERI is to provide and install lights.
- Shri Ram Foundation [www.shriramfoundation.com]
Monitoring of the entire project
- Tiger Watch [www.tigerwatch.net]
Ground implementation of the project, selection of villager.
Village Selection –
- Villages with No Electricity.
- Villages with a direct impact on forest, villages with zero distance/ surrounded by forest.
Apart from these 2 criteria’s the reason why Tiger Watch chose the 5 villages was that they were in the corridor area where the authority has less reach. Tiger moves from Ranthambhore to neighbouring Keladevi Sanctuary via this corridor route hence it is important to make this area safe for the tiger.
Also Tiger Watch runs an anti-poaching program which can get some benefits from local people contact.
Pic1: Villages depicted in the corridor
Beneficiary Selection:
A Prakash Dooth (Light Ambassador) was selected in each village. This man is supposed to be the coordinator of the program in his village – An educated, non controversial neutral man in the village.
He would have two responsibilities: Selecting the villages (First preference given to villagers with kids studying in school) and to the rest. The second responsibility was to charge the solar lights for which the coordinator would get 2 INR for each recharge.
The coordinator was also given a mobile phone for networking and contact.
Pic3: Solar light distribution among Jogipura Dhani Village by Advocate Ms. Padmini Rathore
How will Solar light Program help in Tiger Conservation:
Now a regular contact is established with the villagers and with the mobile phones Tiger Watch is able to speak on the solar light and other issues too. This base level communication with villagers will help in spreading message of Tiger Conservation.
In few months Tiger Watch will conduct a slide show in these corridor villages, when the villagers will be more receptive to the issue.
Pic4 :Entrepreneur at Bhid Village
Selected Village:
- Bhid
Number of light distributed: 50
Coordinator: Mr. Murari and Mr. Mukesh Gurjer (9772344336, 9610139465)
- Sanwata
Number of Light Distributed: 50
Coordinator: Mr. Sehj Ram Gurjer and Mr. Mukesh Gurjer (9828548161)
- Jogipura Dhani
Number of light distributed: 30
Coordinator : Mrs. Birma Devi Jogi Mr. Ramkesh Jogi (9982997577)
- Gadheen
Number of Light distributed : 10
Coordinator : Mr. Dhanji Gurjer
- KalaKhora
Number of Light distributed: 10
Coordinator: Mr. Deviram Gurger (9649194485)
(report by: Dharmendra & Divya Khandal, Tiger Watch, Ranathmbhore Road, sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan) dharmkhandal@gmail.com
