Venturing into a Naxal- infested area in the Navegaon forest region, (famous for the Navegaon Nagzira Tiger Reserve) in Eastern Maharashtra, members of the Rotary Club of Nagpur Horizon, RI District 3030, have distributed solar lanterns to 60 households in three remote settlements in the area — Ghogra, Chilamtola and Tumdi.
Each of these colourful lanterns, which have a life of around 2,000 hours, costs around ₹240. Club president Sudhir Mangrulkar said that the Adivasi families that inhabit this region, which has no electricity, live in poverty and even for their food, depend on forest produce. “We chose to do this project because our medical director was approached by the Forest Department which requested Rotary to help these families by giving them solar lanterns as they have to live in dark homes once the sun goes down. Since the area falls under a Naxal- affected zone, our team of Rotarians who attended the handover event, was escorted by armed police personnel stationed at the Magardoh village to guarantee their safety.”
The Forest Department requested Rotary to give solar lanterns to families residing in a Naxel-affected zone as they have to live in dark homes once the sun goes down.
He himself could not go to the village that day which is about 300km from Nagpur; the Rotarians drove in their own cars, but for the last leg of the journey, as this is a difficult and tricky region, they were transported in a Forest Department jeep. The recipients were very happy with their lanterns, which can be easily charged with mobile phone chargers, and grateful for this gift which will now light up their dark homes.
The lanterns became so popular that “the policemen also requested us to give them lanterns and we have provided 50 of these to them. Our club members also wanted them, so we ordered another 200, as they make excellent gifts,” he smiled.
Past president of the club Vivek Garg explained to the villagers the proper usage of the lantern and how to charge it. The Rotarians who visited the villages included PDG Prafull Mokadam, past presidents Sudhir Thote, Rajesh Ballal and IPP Devyani Shirkhedkar. The villagers were so happy with their gifts that one of them spontaneously delivered an impromptu vote of thanks!
A workshop on organic farming was also conducted by the club in partnership with the Forest Department at the Bor Tiger Reserve, for farmers from surrounding villages. The programme was jointly organised by this club along with RCC Salai Pebath. “As is known in the Rotary world, RCC refers to Rotary Community Corps — groups of non-Rotarians who collaborate with Rotary clubs on community service initiatives. These people work to address local challenges such as illiteracy, hunger, sanitation, and water scarcity, thereby empowering communities through service and leadership,” said Mangrulkar.
At the workshop the farmers were told about the advantages of organic farming and value-added crops. The speaker, a farmer himself, explained to them the organic techniques for preparing manure, pesticides and growth boosters to get higher yield. He also demonstrated simple, cost-effective methods to reduce labour requirements in irrigation and routine agricultural activities. They were also told about the various companion crops that can be cultivated jointly for mutual benefit. Strategies for harvesting, packaging and marketing, were explained, and narrating his own experience he quoted numbers to tell the gathering how he had doubled his earnings by adopting direct marketing methods instead of relying on middlemen at the mandi.
He told the 40 farmers attending the session that “organic farming is not merely a cultivation technique but a holistic way of life.”
Cub president and other members, Mangesh Thengadi, deputy director of the Bor Tiger Reserve and Manoj Waghmare, RCC chairman, participated.
In another project, the club organised a medical check-up camp for children, to screen them for sickle cell disease, haemoglobin deficiency etc. Those requiring medicines were given the required dosage.
The club president said the RCC has requested the Rotarians to construct a small hall to carry out educational and recreational activities for children, and “we are raising funds to get this done.”