JOIN USLPG initiative saves 4,500 kg wood a month in Nagarahole
The forest staff living in the anti-poaching camps (APCs) deep inside the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve (NTR) no longer have to spend time and energy to fetch firewood for cooking.
For the first time, all 27 APCs in a tiger reserve in Karnataka have been provided with LPG cylinders and stoves by the Conservation Awareness Team Trust (CATT), an NGO, in July second week. There are four to five forest staffers in each of the poaching camps.
“A cylinder will last for at least three months. They will be refilled by the department,” NTR director H C Kantharaj told Deccan Herald.
On an average everyday, the forest staff in each APC were using four to five kg of firewood. After switching to LPG, the department is saving 140 kg of firewood a day from all 27 APCs and 4,500 kg per month.
“Dry wood was collected from the ground. Using damp wood during winters and monsoon to cook is not only challenging, but also unhealthy,” Saradhi Roy, CATT president, said, adding that all APCs would now turn smokeless.
The CATT team and forest officials are planning to implement the same in Kali Tiger Reserve, which is an evergreen forest patch.
Kantharaj pointed out that normally corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds were limited to installing cameras for capturing animal images.
“Now, things are changing. Talks are on with Bharat Electronics Limited to get over Rs one crore as CSR funds for desilting water bodies and providing solar lamps in all APCs. The department is in talks with corporates for providing search lights to the forest staff. Things will get finalised in the coming few days,” he said.
Safari cancelled
The safari has been cancelled in the last 20 days in NTR because of heavy rain. This is done during monsoon as safari buses get stuck in the slush, Kantharaj said.