Kishor Rithe

Interview 2006 by IndianNGOs.com

Kishor Rithe
Satupda Foundation
(M) 09422157123

Can you share with us the flora and fauna of Melghat ?
Is there any significant change in the last decade or so ?
Melghat is a dry deciduous teak dominated forest tract in central India. The cliffs and gorges of the central Indian highlands are covered with around 700 recorded plant species. The typical dry deciduous floral composition supports the fauna like Tiger, Leopard, Wild Dog, sloth bear, Hyena, Sambar, Chital and barking deer. There are around 280 bird species including the endangered one Forest owlet, once presumed to be an extinct. We get flying squirrel, Green Munia, Ratel and pied hornbill too.

Yes, of course, the cattle and human population has been increased and the arising situation has changed their mindsets in the past decade. It has shown its impact on the surrounding flora and fauna. The prey base has been poor and tiger population also has affected. Water sources in the forest have reduced their retaining period.

What are the major reasons behind depleting biodiversity and forest reserves in ‘Melghat’ region?
Initially it was legal logging operations as Melghat was known for timber since British time. Later, the black top road network established to stop malnutrition deaths. It has helped the minor forest produce contractors for illegal extraction and transportation of MFP. However, increased human and cattle population from 58 villages in and around the Melghat Tiger Reserve is now forced to move deep inside the jungle for forest resources. The agriculture lands available for the sustenance of these tribal families have been found insufficient so it also leads to encroachments on forest land. The incidents of poisoning took place during 2000 to 2003 and the wild fauna of Melghat affected badly during this period.

For the Adivasi’s forests is like god. It is not only the source of income, but also the place of existence. Do they treat the forest like god or do they abuse the natural wealth ?
When it’s a question of survival even non tribals in urban area get involve in thieves, robbery, murder even at the temples. Most of the tribals still feel that the forest is the God. Our Korku’s worship Tiger, water, trees in Melghat. But, in general, the situation has been changed. As agricultural lands available for their growing family have been found insufficient they are getting involve in clearing the forest and doing agriculture, cutting Amla trees for extracting Amala and selling it to trader illegally. Similar is the case about tendu leaves, Charoli, Mahua flowers and so on. Here our partener NGO Nature Conservation Society, Amravati (NCSA) is working since last 16 years on reducing community pressure on the forest and doing upliftment of individual tribal families. Satpuda Foundation (SF) is simply helping NCSA by making available resources etc. SF has been helping to the forest staff so that they do not face hardship while performing their duties. SF has established a “Employment Cell” and trying to give “appropriate” jobs to unemployed tribal youth so that the economic benefits should directly reach to the tribal families. SF is trying to get assistance of Micro Finance institutes and connecting them to SHG’s in the tiger habitats situated in the satpuda landscape including Melghat.

What are the programme areas of Satpuda foundation in relation to Melghat Biodiversity ?

What are the various difficulties you face, while working in the ‘Meghat tribal area’?
It was very difficult to gain the confidence of the tribals as they had completely lost the faith on “Jangadi’s”, individuals from urban and institutes including the Government. In such situation it was very difficult to assure them that “I am different” and “my organization” will really bring the change for you. I too had no expectation from them. I was not expecting any change overnight. So we slowly proved ourselves helpful, trustworthy, genuine, committed and unbiased from the number of small activities.

Secondly, there was negativity in thinking and understanding between the local forest staff and the tribals. As the forest staff was asking them not to graze, not to go inside the forest, not to set fire and so on and tribals use to consider forest staff as someone who would always say “No”.

It took us hard to brake that wall. We identified many activities which has brought these two segments together at least in understanding that “if we save the forest from massive grazing, illegal logging, commercial extraction of forest produce, forest fires, ultimately we will get the long term benefits of perennial water in streams, enough fodder around village, ample fruits to consume, best paste controlling in our fields and thereby the economic/ sustainable development.

After your interventions for the last decade, what is the significant change in the behaviour of the adivasi population ?
I do not claim myself as “Masiha” of tribals or “Tribal activist”. But I firmly stood there as a man for “nature protection”. Some villagers initially called me “Tiger project wala” etc but now when they talk about me, they talk about my “Cloth for work” programme, Mobile health unit, Community meetings for regular EGS works, ideal resettlement of three villages and so on. Now they are receptive to new ideas and pro to actions.

Can this be replicated in other regions ? Can this be scaled up now ?
Of course, it can be replicated. And we have already started establishing our minimum infrastructure, personnel, network in Pench Tiger Reserve Maharashtra, Priyadarshini Pench Tiger Reserve Seoni (MP) to do this kind of work . This year we are planning to start in and around Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, Chandrapur and Satpura Tiger Reserve, Pachmarhi (MP).Shortly we will reach to the wildlife corridors connecting these reserves and then the entire Satpuda landscape in central India. We can make it a mass movement shortly as it gives both, short term and long term benefits to the communities living in the forest.

What more needs to be done by the various stakeholders involved, like government, NGOs, local communities to save the forest and wildlife?
First of all, they should not consider wildlife separate than the forest and forest from the tribals. Once they change this view, then they should focus separately on wildlife, forest and community sothat there is equal scope and opportunity to these segments to flourish. All these agencies, NGOs and Government, should ensure at every step whether by doing “one” activity benefiting to the community, also has benefited the biodiversity?

There is a fear. When you do community development you forget about nature conservation. And it may give a chance for destruction of natural resources around the “forested” village. One can do this only by getting involve whole-heartedly and consciously. NGO’s,institutes and Government agencies need to spend more time in the field than the offices.

What are your future plans?
To establish community resource centre and Biological research centre in Melghat. It will provide platform for various stakeholders to get involve in this green battle. To create similar allignance of academicians, bureaucrats, community leaders elsewhere in the satpuda landscape in central India and create minimum infrastructure to support them and make them available minimum resources. Of course this will become possible, if every person who beleives in this mission, extend his/her support to me.

You are very successful in promoting your cause and raising funds for the community. How do you manage to make an impact amongst corporate and funding agency community while being based in a remote area like Melghat ? Frankly speaking, I did not take any extra efforts for that. I hardly go to Delhi and Mumbai where these “influential” people live. I am a computer engineering graduate so using my IT skill for communication. I spend little time in communication and maximum in the field. If I find somebody committed and genuinely interested then I give them opportunity to get associated with this work. Some of them assist us from the place where they work and few of them even come to my field where I work. Then they get involve with this “green battle”. I simply create and maintain an environment where they also feel that it is their battle and responsibility. I just connect resourceful people with “needy” humans and their habitats. Transparency in my every action is the key and later the word of mouth works for me. Funding, support, assistance and help all these words follow me. I am lucky that way.
First they should “find” enough time to understand the issue and complexity involve. Once they are comfortable then they should “spend” some time to form a mutual trust by taking small actions. If they are patient enough, they should definitely “invest” (whatever they can) without wasting their valuable time. Some of them have supported me a lot. I would request corporates to understand my mission and join hands.

How can corporates partner with you ?

Kishor Rithe
Satupda Foundation
“Pratishtha”
Bharat Nagar, Akoli Road
Near Sai Nagar, Amravati – 444607
Maharashtra, India.
Tel: (O) 91-721-2511966, (M) 09422157123