One of the biggest problems being faced by those living in forest areas, especially in protected areas like sanctuaries, national parks, is unemployment.
One of the biggest problems being faced by those living in forest areas - especially in protected areas like sanctuaries, national parks and tiger reserves - is unemployment. The youth living in such areas have been found indulging in illegal activities like poaching and wildlife trade to earn a livelihood.
After nine months of work by the Satpuda Foundation, 30 tribal youths from the Pench Tiger Reserve are now part of the hospitality industry and earn their livelihood.
Giri Venkatesan, executive director of the foundation and chief of the employment cell project, said “The villagers would forward to protect tigers if the animals could provide them with employment. With our efforts, villagers have now started thinking about protecting them.”
The idea was conceived by Kishor Rithe, a tiger conservationist working in central India since the past two decades. With financial support from LifeForce Charitable Trust of the United Kingdom, the foundation began operations from December 1 last year.
The aim of the foundation’s Employment Cell project was to promote wildlife conservation by helping the unemployed youths in villages find sustainable employment that will reduce their dependence on the forest’s resources for a livelihood.
Unemployed youth often fall prey to incentives of gangs engaging in poaching and contractors who control illegal felling of trees. Gainful employment to such tribal youths would significantly reduce the pressure on forests and help preserve the habitats of many endangered wildlife species including the tiger.
The initiative is planned to tackle unemployment among educated villagers living in and around the tiger reserves of Melghat, Tadoba-Andhari, Satpuda-Bori and Pench (which spreads across Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh). There are 58 villages in Melghat Tiger Reserve, 50 in and around Pench, 50 around Satpuda and 53 villages in and around Tadoba-Andhari.
“The administrations of these reserves have shown interest in working with the foundation to address the problem of unemployment and reduce the pressure on these reserves. We are getting a good response from The government,” Venkatesan said.
The foundation has also formed self help groups to help tribals run businesses that do not put any pressure on forest resources. This will help reduce the conflict between tribals and wildlife and will also help provide protection to tigers. Human intrusion inside these reserves will be reduced to a great extent, Venkatesan said.
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