Ek Raj Sigdel
The wetlands of Churia hills have been working as water reservoirs for centuries. However, these wetlands are under serious threat as a result of siltation and deforestation together with longer drought periods may be due to climate change, in recent years.
Take a case of Barhakunda- a network of 12 ponds- that ranges from quarter to one and half hectares areas are located at the Churia hills near Bhimdataa town (earlier known as Mahendra Nagar) of Kanchanpur District. Ever increasing population in the town and declaration of nearby forests as Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve, increased pressure for firewood, fodder, timber and grazing in forest areas situated outside reserve - such as one around the Barhakunda. This resulted rapid loss of vegetation coverage, increased siltation and decreased water level in the ponds. This adversely affected the wildlife that depended on these ponds for water.
To address this issue, Western Terai Landscape Complex Project through Churia Conservation Network, a local NGO build a retention wall and planted bamboo and trees around the ponds, maintained inlets and outlets of the ponds. Besides, community were educated on need of plantation around barren areas surrounding Barhakunda and motivated to conserve and wisely use water resources. The aim was to retain water level and to make it a suitable habitat for wildlife species, and to provide water to nearby communities for farming and to maintain was for long times.
With three years of conservation efforts and local communities' participation the water level and greenery around the pond has significantly increased. Today, Barhakunda has been providing 78 local households including 18 Dalit households, water for irrigating their paddy fields of of Dalit community. Moreover, the Barhakunda has become a reliable source of drinking water to wildlife including leopards, pea-cocks, deers, and wild boars.
For maintenance of the wetland system, the community has made the scheme of raising income of Rs 10 per hour for irrigating their field. The generated money in turn has been utilized to hire a local guard for maintaining wetland. The rest of the money has been deposited in community forest account. In this way, a kind of understanding between community forest user group and the wetland user have been reached. This can be considered as a payment for environment services.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Climate Change Adaptation Matrices and Western Terai Landscape Complex Project
Ek Raj Sigdel
Landscape Manager
Western Terai Landscape Complex Project is a joint undertaking of the government of Nepal, GEF, UNDP, SNV, WWF, Bio-versity International, NARC and LIBIRD. The eight year project, which is now running in six years, intends to conserve and sustainable use globally significant biodiversity resources of the Western Terai, lowland of Nepal, which is being included in two WWF Global 200 Eco-regions. The approach intends to address the issues of fragmentation of once extended habitat of the globally significant endangered wildlife species like elephants, tigers and rhinoceros.
The project has implemented wide ranged activities including forest management, watershed management, restoration of corridor and connectivity. The activities are additional to the regular government supported activities as they intend to benefit international communities. It has been realized that the landscape level biodiversity conservation activities address regular development objectivities as well as climate change adaptation issues. With this backdrop, it can be said that the Landscape Level Biodiversity Conservation contributes to livelihood improvement of local communities, conservation of biodiversity resources and also address the issues of climate change mitigation and adaptation.
The project has implemented wide ranged activities including documentation and replication of indigenous knowledge based adaptation practices, conservation of agro-biodiversity resources, and restoration of forests along corridor and connectivity areas like Bio-engineering along river side, plantation in degraded land, management of grassland, and restoration of watershed areas, maintenance of wetlands and promotion of non-timber forest based income generation activities.
While interacting with Tharu communities, local inhabitant in Shankarpur Village Development Committee of Kanchanpur District in Nepal, it was revealed that they have adapted some activities in response of flood damage. For instance, they have practiced storing agricultural production at second floor of building, river bank cultivation of groundnut, tomato, bottle gourd, cucumber, watermelon etc, early maturing rice plantation to escape flood (Chaite -4, Chaini, Hardinath, Radha-4, Anjana, Nimoi) and established community seed banks.
Western Terai Landscape Complex Project has piloted some community based conservation and livelihood development activities such as bio-engineering, restoration of corridor and connectivity, biogas promotion, water reservoir maintenance and non timber forest product management. These activities in one or another way are contributing to climate change adaptation.
Bio-engineering along the river bank has been carried out by using simple and low cost technology. Saccharum Munja, broom grass, bamboos and sand sacks are the key ingredient of this technology. It has been found very effective to control flood as the plant materials grow faster and helps withstanding flood pressure.
WTLCP’s role in maintaining corridor and connectivity has also helped facilitating dispersal of wild animals in different landscape matrices. In this regard, the project has carried out enrichment plantation and effective forest management exercise in the corridor and connectivity areas. Local communities are managing 3, 000 biogas plant which have helped a lot in reducing locals’ pressure on nearby forest resources. The strategy of increasing areas and enhancing quality of fragmented forest patches and connection of these patches to form corridor will be instrumental to escape the mega species from one place to another during emergency. This ultimately helps maintaining healthy population of the wildlife species as it supports maintaining gene pool of these creatures.
With the support of WTLCP, Water Reservoir along the foothills of Siwaliks / Churia has been maintained. Plantation around lakes, regulation of inlet, outlet and removal of invasive species has supported maintaining water levels. With this initiatives, water level of some of the lakes have been restored during winter seasons and this has become a new source of irrigation to local communities and become sustainable source of drinking water to wildlife species like peacock, deer and common leopard. It is hoped that the strategy of maintaining water reservoirs along the watershed region will help responding drought impact of climate change in a long run.
Non Timber Forest Product based income generation activities are considered as a major component of this project. Camommile, mint and lemon grasses are the key herb species that have been promoted to cultivate along the buffer zone of protected areas. Local people are getting three crops instead of the previous trend of harvesting only two crops i.e. rice and wheat. The crops are not palatable to wildlife species and hence contributing to deter wild animals. This has become a viable option to minimize wildlife people conflict in and around protected areas. In addition, the strategy will be instrumental for diversifying livelihood opportunities to local communities which would be necessary to respond climate change impact.
Aforementioned activities are additional activities of the government’s regular development programs which are designed and implemented as part of enhancing incremental benefits of biodiversity conservation.
Adaptation Matrices
Methodology
Performances of the aforementioned activities are being assessed through household survey and joint monitoring by local stakeholders. Likewise, the output level impacts of the executed activities are monitored jointly by central level stakeholders including policy makers, donor communities, researchers and academia. Overall impact of the activities against the stated objectives was evaluated in the fifth year of the project period with the support of international consultants. Based on these monitoring and evaluation recommendation successful initiatives have been documented, up-scaled and replicated. Household survey, remote sensing and GIS, MIS are the tools which are being used to assess performance and effectiveness of the activities.
Lesson Learned
Adoption of participatory monitoring and evaluation practice helps enhancing the capacity of local stakeholders towards institutionalizing climate change adaptation activities in local development plan and programs. Use of scientific data is important mainly to showcase the linkage of local action with global thinking like climate change and adaptation strategies and need clear legal base, policy, institution, and demarcation of understanding between development activities and adaptation programs for institutionalizing adaptation matrices
Challenges
While monitoring there should be clear demarcation between regular development activities and adaptation programs. As adaptation program cannot be limited into a single political boundary, it would be difficult to institutionalize adaptation matrices at various levels (Political units). Therefore it needs an integrated adaptation monitoring framework at central and local levels that takes into account cross sectoral and cross boundary issues. To design, implement and present the adaptation activities it is necessary to enhance the capacity of stakeholders ranging from local level to policy makers. Over and above there should be an overarching climate change adaptation plan supported by regional and local level plans and programs and they need to be linked together.
The paper was presented in a Workshop on Climate Change Adaptation Matrices in Bangladesh in March 5-6; 2011
Landscape Manager
Western Terai Landscape Complex Project is a joint undertaking of the government of Nepal, GEF, UNDP, SNV, WWF, Bio-versity International, NARC and LIBIRD. The eight year project, which is now running in six years, intends to conserve and sustainable use globally significant biodiversity resources of the Western Terai, lowland of Nepal, which is being included in two WWF Global 200 Eco-regions. The approach intends to address the issues of fragmentation of once extended habitat of the globally significant endangered wildlife species like elephants, tigers and rhinoceros.
The project has implemented wide ranged activities including forest management, watershed management, restoration of corridor and connectivity. The activities are additional to the regular government supported activities as they intend to benefit international communities. It has been realized that the landscape level biodiversity conservation activities address regular development objectivities as well as climate change adaptation issues. With this backdrop, it can be said that the Landscape Level Biodiversity Conservation contributes to livelihood improvement of local communities, conservation of biodiversity resources and also address the issues of climate change mitigation and adaptation.
The project has implemented wide ranged activities including documentation and replication of indigenous knowledge based adaptation practices, conservation of agro-biodiversity resources, and restoration of forests along corridor and connectivity areas like Bio-engineering along river side, plantation in degraded land, management of grassland, and restoration of watershed areas, maintenance of wetlands and promotion of non-timber forest based income generation activities.
While interacting with Tharu communities, local inhabitant in Shankarpur Village Development Committee of Kanchanpur District in Nepal, it was revealed that they have adapted some activities in response of flood damage. For instance, they have practiced storing agricultural production at second floor of building, river bank cultivation of groundnut, tomato, bottle gourd, cucumber, watermelon etc, early maturing rice plantation to escape flood (Chaite -4, Chaini, Hardinath, Radha-4, Anjana, Nimoi) and established community seed banks.
Western Terai Landscape Complex Project has piloted some community based conservation and livelihood development activities such as bio-engineering, restoration of corridor and connectivity, biogas promotion, water reservoir maintenance and non timber forest product management. These activities in one or another way are contributing to climate change adaptation.
Bio-engineering along the river bank has been carried out by using simple and low cost technology. Saccharum Munja, broom grass, bamboos and sand sacks are the key ingredient of this technology. It has been found very effective to control flood as the plant materials grow faster and helps withstanding flood pressure.
WTLCP’s role in maintaining corridor and connectivity has also helped facilitating dispersal of wild animals in different landscape matrices. In this regard, the project has carried out enrichment plantation and effective forest management exercise in the corridor and connectivity areas. Local communities are managing 3, 000 biogas plant which have helped a lot in reducing locals’ pressure on nearby forest resources. The strategy of increasing areas and enhancing quality of fragmented forest patches and connection of these patches to form corridor will be instrumental to escape the mega species from one place to another during emergency. This ultimately helps maintaining healthy population of the wildlife species as it supports maintaining gene pool of these creatures.
With the support of WTLCP, Water Reservoir along the foothills of Siwaliks / Churia has been maintained. Plantation around lakes, regulation of inlet, outlet and removal of invasive species has supported maintaining water levels. With this initiatives, water level of some of the lakes have been restored during winter seasons and this has become a new source of irrigation to local communities and become sustainable source of drinking water to wildlife species like peacock, deer and common leopard. It is hoped that the strategy of maintaining water reservoirs along the watershed region will help responding drought impact of climate change in a long run.
Non Timber Forest Product based income generation activities are considered as a major component of this project. Camommile, mint and lemon grasses are the key herb species that have been promoted to cultivate along the buffer zone of protected areas. Local people are getting three crops instead of the previous trend of harvesting only two crops i.e. rice and wheat. The crops are not palatable to wildlife species and hence contributing to deter wild animals. This has become a viable option to minimize wildlife people conflict in and around protected areas. In addition, the strategy will be instrumental for diversifying livelihood opportunities to local communities which would be necessary to respond climate change impact.
Aforementioned activities are additional activities of the government’s regular development programs which are designed and implemented as part of enhancing incremental benefits of biodiversity conservation.
Adaptation Matrices
Methodology
Performances of the aforementioned activities are being assessed through household survey and joint monitoring by local stakeholders. Likewise, the output level impacts of the executed activities are monitored jointly by central level stakeholders including policy makers, donor communities, researchers and academia. Overall impact of the activities against the stated objectives was evaluated in the fifth year of the project period with the support of international consultants. Based on these monitoring and evaluation recommendation successful initiatives have been documented, up-scaled and replicated. Household survey, remote sensing and GIS, MIS are the tools which are being used to assess performance and effectiveness of the activities.
Lesson Learned
Adoption of participatory monitoring and evaluation practice helps enhancing the capacity of local stakeholders towards institutionalizing climate change adaptation activities in local development plan and programs. Use of scientific data is important mainly to showcase the linkage of local action with global thinking like climate change and adaptation strategies and need clear legal base, policy, institution, and demarcation of understanding between development activities and adaptation programs for institutionalizing adaptation matrices
Challenges
While monitoring there should be clear demarcation between regular development activities and adaptation programs. As adaptation program cannot be limited into a single political boundary, it would be difficult to institutionalize adaptation matrices at various levels (Political units). Therefore it needs an integrated adaptation monitoring framework at central and local levels that takes into account cross sectoral and cross boundary issues. To design, implement and present the adaptation activities it is necessary to enhance the capacity of stakeholders ranging from local level to policy makers. Over and above there should be an overarching climate change adaptation plan supported by regional and local level plans and programs and they need to be linked together.
The paper was presented in a Workshop on Climate Change Adaptation Matrices in Bangladesh in March 5-6; 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Protected Area Management Issues in Nepal
Five days long 27th Warden Seminar was concluded on 12th February 2011. The participants were divided into three group – terai protected area, mid hills and mountain area to identify key management issues of the protected areas. Theses are the key issues of the protected areas.
1. Policy
Common
1.National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Acts, Regulations and Guidelines needs to be revised
2.Policy formulation for managing non timber forest products in protected areas is necessary
3.The revised buffer zone guidelines should include the provision of leasehold forestry program in buffer zone
4.There should be a provision of returning mountaineers fee at local level
5.There is a provision of kerosene as an alternative energy to protected area based Nepal Army personnel. Similar kind of facilities should be provided to protected area staff members
6.Protected area based Nepal Army are not effectively mobilized in buffer zone as well as national park
7.The existing ration scale of protected area staff needs to be revised
8.There should be a provision of distributing timber from buffer zone private forest to even outside of the buffer zone communities.
Terai
9.Boundary of Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and Parsa Wildlife Reserve is not clear
10.There is no any program for newly declared Banke National Park Buffer Zone
11.There is no provision of using drift wood as a source of income to buffer zone communities. Because of this, annually significant amount of revenues has to be lost by the nation.
Mid Hills
1.Expedite approval process of Sagarmatha National Park Regulation, which is necessary to early implementation of the National Park and Tourism Plan that was prepared in 2005.
2.Khaptad National Park Regulation approval process need to be expedited
3.Hotel inside the protected area, mainly in Langtang National Park where over 50 hotels are in operation without paying any tax to the government should be regularized.
4.Khaptad Area Tourism Development Committee should include representatives of buffer zone and Nepal Army. Warden of Khaptad National Park should be represented in the capacity of executive director of the committee.
5.Need additional financial resources to manage Manaslu and Kanchanjunga Conservation Area. There should be a provision of returning upto 100% conservation fee to local development as in the case of Annapurna Conservation Area
6.The seminar discussed some issues that need further study like; does Makalu Barun National park need security force? Musk deer research center in Kathmandu needs to be strengthened and there are some historical sites in Shivapuri National Park which needs further exploration and renovation. There is a very few research in Khaptad National Park.
2. Institutions
1.Need a buffer zone coordination unit in Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Office
2.There is an enough room for coordination amongst stakeholders. Even it is essential to maintain coordination within Nepal Army in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and Parsa Wildlife Reserve
3.Inadequate guard posts and staff number in protected areas
4.Need training to lower level protected area staff members on forest based resources identification and management
5.Protected Area based Nepal Army are facing many operational difficulties like, mobility during rainy season, motor board and river crossing equipment, vehicle arrangement for quick response, budget and infrastructure for anti poaching operation and store house of ammunition. Similarly, they are facing difficulties of infrastructures like drinking water, communication and compounding of armed post. There should be a provision of training, insurance and reward system. To work effectively, it was advised to recruit ladies in Nepal Army so as to make easy to confiscate women defaulters.
6.Almost all the buffer zone management committees were in need of an office assistant to discharge their daily activities effectively and efficiently. Even some of the low income buffer zone communities were asking for basic infrastructures support like office building and furniture.
7.Buffer zone officials were of the view that small industries in buffer zone like saw mills; brick factory etc should be registered only with the recommendation of buffer zone organizations.
8.Buffer zone needs timely availability of approved budgets
9.Buffer Zone management committee need standard format for reporting
3. Biodiversity
Biodiversity across the protected areas are threatened by poaching and illegal trade; deforestation and degradation of wildlife habitats due to encroachment for settlement expansion, over grazing, over utilization of forest based natural resources; illegal logging and trade; and ineffective management of resources and research are the key issues of biodiversity conservation in protected areas.
3.1 Species Conservation
As realized by the participants poaching and illegal trade of wildlife was common across the country. Illegal trade of non timber forest product was reported mainly from mountain protected areas.
There is an increasing number of blue sheep in Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve so it was recommended to increase license for hunting. Also, recommended to shift Blue Sheep from the status of CITES Appendix 1 to other categories so that the increasing hunting demand can be addressed. Musk deer in Godawari need special attention for management. Buffer zone communities requested to be involved in the existing anti poaching operation structure that has been formed by Nepal Army and protected area personnel.
Wetland species are declining. Koshi Tappu wildlife reserve has witnessed decreasing number of bird species. Similarly, pollution in Narayani River has posed threats to survival of fish species and Gharial Gohi.
3.2 Habitat Management
Forest encroachment has been identified as one of the major threats to biodiversity conservation across the country. Encroachment in Terai was happened mainly due to settlement expansion in the name of bonded labors and delay in evacuation of the age old settlement from all terai protected areas. Invasive species like Michaenia in Chitwan and Lantena camera in Bardia National park are succeeding wildlife habitats. In the recent days, the illegal logging has become a serious issue in Bardia National Park and Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve.
Similarly, in Shivapuri National Park, encroachment for market expansion has been done mainly towards north of Nagarjun site. In case of Himalayan National Park, age old settlements exist inside Langtang and Sagarmatha National Parks and Manaslu and Kanchanjunga Conservation areas.
3.3 Over grazing
Some of the wild animals like black buck in Khairapur, Bardia and wild buffalo in Koshi Tappu are competing with domestic livestock for grazing. Similarly, grazing pressure is escalating in Khapad National Park.
3.4 Over utilization
Over utilization of natural resources like stone, gravel and sand have been reported from all the protected areas in Terai. Likewise, over collection of non timber forest products like Yarsha Gumba from Himalayan National Park and illegal trade of logs and NTFP resources were reported in Langtang National Park and Gaurishankar Conservation area.
3.5 Forest fire
Forest Fire is a major issue in all protected areas across the country. Forest fire has been found very destructive in planting cardamom after undertaking slash and burning.
4. Livelihood
Wildlife has been depredating livestock and damaging crop in protected area near by communities. Even, some time human casualties have been reported. Because of this, wildlife people conflict has been happened. To address this issue, the government has provisioned wildlife damage relief fund. However, this kind of fund is not provisioned for Himalayan protected areas.
Annually, large amount of land has to be lost by protected area nearby communities to the rivers in terai protected areas. They are trying to be compensated from limited Buffer Zone Fund. Therefore, participants were of the view that river cutting should be compensated by the government from other sources instead of the buffer zone development fund. Despite having enough potential, in absence of adequate infrastructures, tourism has not become a sustainable source of income to local communities in mountain protected areas.
1. Policy
Common
1.National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Acts, Regulations and Guidelines needs to be revised
2.Policy formulation for managing non timber forest products in protected areas is necessary
3.The revised buffer zone guidelines should include the provision of leasehold forestry program in buffer zone
4.There should be a provision of returning mountaineers fee at local level
5.There is a provision of kerosene as an alternative energy to protected area based Nepal Army personnel. Similar kind of facilities should be provided to protected area staff members
6.Protected area based Nepal Army are not effectively mobilized in buffer zone as well as national park
7.The existing ration scale of protected area staff needs to be revised
8.There should be a provision of distributing timber from buffer zone private forest to even outside of the buffer zone communities.
Terai
9.Boundary of Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and Parsa Wildlife Reserve is not clear
10.There is no any program for newly declared Banke National Park Buffer Zone
11.There is no provision of using drift wood as a source of income to buffer zone communities. Because of this, annually significant amount of revenues has to be lost by the nation.
Mid Hills
1.Expedite approval process of Sagarmatha National Park Regulation, which is necessary to early implementation of the National Park and Tourism Plan that was prepared in 2005.
2.Khaptad National Park Regulation approval process need to be expedited
3.Hotel inside the protected area, mainly in Langtang National Park where over 50 hotels are in operation without paying any tax to the government should be regularized.
4.Khaptad Area Tourism Development Committee should include representatives of buffer zone and Nepal Army. Warden of Khaptad National Park should be represented in the capacity of executive director of the committee.
5.Need additional financial resources to manage Manaslu and Kanchanjunga Conservation Area. There should be a provision of returning upto 100% conservation fee to local development as in the case of Annapurna Conservation Area
6.The seminar discussed some issues that need further study like; does Makalu Barun National park need security force? Musk deer research center in Kathmandu needs to be strengthened and there are some historical sites in Shivapuri National Park which needs further exploration and renovation. There is a very few research in Khaptad National Park.
2. Institutions
1.Need a buffer zone coordination unit in Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Office
2.There is an enough room for coordination amongst stakeholders. Even it is essential to maintain coordination within Nepal Army in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and Parsa Wildlife Reserve
3.Inadequate guard posts and staff number in protected areas
4.Need training to lower level protected area staff members on forest based resources identification and management
5.Protected Area based Nepal Army are facing many operational difficulties like, mobility during rainy season, motor board and river crossing equipment, vehicle arrangement for quick response, budget and infrastructure for anti poaching operation and store house of ammunition. Similarly, they are facing difficulties of infrastructures like drinking water, communication and compounding of armed post. There should be a provision of training, insurance and reward system. To work effectively, it was advised to recruit ladies in Nepal Army so as to make easy to confiscate women defaulters.
6.Almost all the buffer zone management committees were in need of an office assistant to discharge their daily activities effectively and efficiently. Even some of the low income buffer zone communities were asking for basic infrastructures support like office building and furniture.
7.Buffer zone officials were of the view that small industries in buffer zone like saw mills; brick factory etc should be registered only with the recommendation of buffer zone organizations.
8.Buffer zone needs timely availability of approved budgets
9.Buffer Zone management committee need standard format for reporting
3. Biodiversity
Biodiversity across the protected areas are threatened by poaching and illegal trade; deforestation and degradation of wildlife habitats due to encroachment for settlement expansion, over grazing, over utilization of forest based natural resources; illegal logging and trade; and ineffective management of resources and research are the key issues of biodiversity conservation in protected areas.
3.1 Species Conservation
As realized by the participants poaching and illegal trade of wildlife was common across the country. Illegal trade of non timber forest product was reported mainly from mountain protected areas.
There is an increasing number of blue sheep in Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve so it was recommended to increase license for hunting. Also, recommended to shift Blue Sheep from the status of CITES Appendix 1 to other categories so that the increasing hunting demand can be addressed. Musk deer in Godawari need special attention for management. Buffer zone communities requested to be involved in the existing anti poaching operation structure that has been formed by Nepal Army and protected area personnel.
Wetland species are declining. Koshi Tappu wildlife reserve has witnessed decreasing number of bird species. Similarly, pollution in Narayani River has posed threats to survival of fish species and Gharial Gohi.
3.2 Habitat Management
Forest encroachment has been identified as one of the major threats to biodiversity conservation across the country. Encroachment in Terai was happened mainly due to settlement expansion in the name of bonded labors and delay in evacuation of the age old settlement from all terai protected areas. Invasive species like Michaenia in Chitwan and Lantena camera in Bardia National park are succeeding wildlife habitats. In the recent days, the illegal logging has become a serious issue in Bardia National Park and Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve.
Similarly, in Shivapuri National Park, encroachment for market expansion has been done mainly towards north of Nagarjun site. In case of Himalayan National Park, age old settlements exist inside Langtang and Sagarmatha National Parks and Manaslu and Kanchanjunga Conservation areas.
3.3 Over grazing
Some of the wild animals like black buck in Khairapur, Bardia and wild buffalo in Koshi Tappu are competing with domestic livestock for grazing. Similarly, grazing pressure is escalating in Khapad National Park.
3.4 Over utilization
Over utilization of natural resources like stone, gravel and sand have been reported from all the protected areas in Terai. Likewise, over collection of non timber forest products like Yarsha Gumba from Himalayan National Park and illegal trade of logs and NTFP resources were reported in Langtang National Park and Gaurishankar Conservation area.
3.5 Forest fire
Forest Fire is a major issue in all protected areas across the country. Forest fire has been found very destructive in planting cardamom after undertaking slash and burning.
4. Livelihood
Wildlife has been depredating livestock and damaging crop in protected area near by communities. Even, some time human casualties have been reported. Because of this, wildlife people conflict has been happened. To address this issue, the government has provisioned wildlife damage relief fund. However, this kind of fund is not provisioned for Himalayan protected areas.
Annually, large amount of land has to be lost by protected area nearby communities to the rivers in terai protected areas. They are trying to be compensated from limited Buffer Zone Fund. Therefore, participants were of the view that river cutting should be compensated by the government from other sources instead of the buffer zone development fund. Despite having enough potential, in absence of adequate infrastructures, tourism has not become a sustainable source of income to local communities in mountain protected areas.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Concept note on Piloting Integrated Landscape Planning Framework in Mohana Kailali Corridor
Mohana Kailali Corridor
Mohana Kailali River, a boundary between Knahcnapur and Kailali has been recognized as Mohana Kailali Corridor for few years. Community forests along the eastern and western bank of the river are developed in such a way that they together have formed a corridor between Chure in the North and Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in the south. There are altogether 57 community forests including 40 in Kailali District and 17 in Kanchanpur district. In Kanchanpur the community forests are distributed in three village development committees namely Baisebichuwa, Raikawarbichuwa and Krishnapur. Similarly, towards Kailali the community forests are stretched over Dhangadi Municipality, and three VDCs such as Geta, Malakheti and Godwari.
The corridor has high conservation and livelihood value. It acts as a buffer for Laljhadi Corridor, a 16,000 hectare block of forest towards west. Until 10 years back, people of Dhanagdi had to rely on Laljhadi Forest for firewood, timber and fodder. However, after regeneration of forests along the Mohana River, the pressure on Laljhadi has been reduced noticeably.
A recent study carried out by WTLCP reveals that forest coverage has been increased significantly in this area. Likewise, the areas have evolved as a suitable habitat for dispersal animals, mainly between Dudhwa Tiger Reserve and Chure area. There are 94 bird species and more than 100 tree species. Likewise, it inhabits wildlife species like blue bull, spotted deer and wild boar. The basic need of local people mainly fodder and firewood has been fulfilled from these community forests and all forests along the eastern bank of the river have worked as live fence mainly in safeguarding people of Dhangadi Municipality from flood. With this fodder grasses facility, people re attracted towards adopting stall feeding livestock. Being market nearby, people of this area are motivated towards adopting improved livestock.
Western Terai Landscape Complex Project has supported local communities of this area with various conservation, livelihood improvement and institutional capacity building activities since 2005. With the support, a network of 24 community forests along the eastern bank called Mohana Kailali Community Forest Conservation Committee has been formed and strengthened. In addition, a coordination committee of 16 community forests along the river catchment area has been established at Godawari VDC of Kailali. Similarly, towards Kanchanpur District, coordination committees are formed and functional in three VDCs. In total, there are five coordination committees are established along the corridor - three in Kanchanpur and two in Kailali.
Need Integrated Landscape Plan
In essence, landscape level conservation advocates for integrating biodiversity conservation criteria in local development plan and programs. It requires consistent activities in corridor VDC, Municipality and DDC that ultimately lead to achieve common vision of conserving biodiversity resources at landscape level. In this backdrop, conservation activities that support landscape elements like forest ecosystem, wetland ecosystem, watershed, and grassland etc are to be included in the respective Municipality, Village Development and District Development plan and programs considering corridor area as sub set of their respective political boundary. The integrated landscape planning approach can be considered as a strategy of sustaining WTLCP supported activities in the days ahead. Considering it as a viable planning tool, WTLCP is supporting preparing an integrated management plan of Mohana Kailali Corridor in 2011.
Methodology
The integration process shall be carried out in three phases. Firstly, a management plan of the entire corridor shall be developed following stakeholder consultation and research process. Secondly, the priority activities of the management plan that are to be integrated in corridor connected local government's plan and program shall be sorted out through stakeholder consultation process. Finally, capacity of the respective local authority and community forests user committees shall be strengthened so that they together will be able to integrate biodiversity criteria in their respective periodical plan and implement coherently in the entire corridor areas.
While preparing the management plan, recently project supported study reports on biodiversity assessment and livelihood development findings will be taken as primary reference materials. In addition, various news and reports that have been produced during the project implementation period shall feed into the plan. Similarly, towards stakeholder consultation process, wider stakeholder meetings and workshops shall be carried out. The study findings and stakeholder perception shall be integrated while producing the management plan.
At the outset, efforts will be put towards developing stakeholders' ownership on the integrated plan concept as such. In this regards, through formal and informal meetings and workshops, the stakeholders shall be given with the concept note. Once they feel comfortable with the concept, the execution processes begin.
As part of integrating conservation criteria in local development plan and programs, WTLCP has already shared its annual plan in all corridor adjoining VDCs and Municipality by attending in person their ongoing planning workshops. In addition, some of the VDCs have been influenced to formulate environment related activities and allocate budgets as matching fund for WTLCP supported biodiversity conservation activities.
Mohana Kailali River, a boundary between Knahcnapur and Kailali has been recognized as Mohana Kailali Corridor for few years. Community forests along the eastern and western bank of the river are developed in such a way that they together have formed a corridor between Chure in the North and Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in the south. There are altogether 57 community forests including 40 in Kailali District and 17 in Kanchanpur district. In Kanchanpur the community forests are distributed in three village development committees namely Baisebichuwa, Raikawarbichuwa and Krishnapur. Similarly, towards Kailali the community forests are stretched over Dhangadi Municipality, and three VDCs such as Geta, Malakheti and Godwari.
The corridor has high conservation and livelihood value. It acts as a buffer for Laljhadi Corridor, a 16,000 hectare block of forest towards west. Until 10 years back, people of Dhanagdi had to rely on Laljhadi Forest for firewood, timber and fodder. However, after regeneration of forests along the Mohana River, the pressure on Laljhadi has been reduced noticeably.
A recent study carried out by WTLCP reveals that forest coverage has been increased significantly in this area. Likewise, the areas have evolved as a suitable habitat for dispersal animals, mainly between Dudhwa Tiger Reserve and Chure area. There are 94 bird species and more than 100 tree species. Likewise, it inhabits wildlife species like blue bull, spotted deer and wild boar. The basic need of local people mainly fodder and firewood has been fulfilled from these community forests and all forests along the eastern bank of the river have worked as live fence mainly in safeguarding people of Dhangadi Municipality from flood. With this fodder grasses facility, people re attracted towards adopting stall feeding livestock. Being market nearby, people of this area are motivated towards adopting improved livestock.
Western Terai Landscape Complex Project has supported local communities of this area with various conservation, livelihood improvement and institutional capacity building activities since 2005. With the support, a network of 24 community forests along the eastern bank called Mohana Kailali Community Forest Conservation Committee has been formed and strengthened. In addition, a coordination committee of 16 community forests along the river catchment area has been established at Godawari VDC of Kailali. Similarly, towards Kanchanpur District, coordination committees are formed and functional in three VDCs. In total, there are five coordination committees are established along the corridor - three in Kanchanpur and two in Kailali.
Need Integrated Landscape Plan
In essence, landscape level conservation advocates for integrating biodiversity conservation criteria in local development plan and programs. It requires consistent activities in corridor VDC, Municipality and DDC that ultimately lead to achieve common vision of conserving biodiversity resources at landscape level. In this backdrop, conservation activities that support landscape elements like forest ecosystem, wetland ecosystem, watershed, and grassland etc are to be included in the respective Municipality, Village Development and District Development plan and programs considering corridor area as sub set of their respective political boundary. The integrated landscape planning approach can be considered as a strategy of sustaining WTLCP supported activities in the days ahead. Considering it as a viable planning tool, WTLCP is supporting preparing an integrated management plan of Mohana Kailali Corridor in 2011.
Methodology
The integration process shall be carried out in three phases. Firstly, a management plan of the entire corridor shall be developed following stakeholder consultation and research process. Secondly, the priority activities of the management plan that are to be integrated in corridor connected local government's plan and program shall be sorted out through stakeholder consultation process. Finally, capacity of the respective local authority and community forests user committees shall be strengthened so that they together will be able to integrate biodiversity criteria in their respective periodical plan and implement coherently in the entire corridor areas.
While preparing the management plan, recently project supported study reports on biodiversity assessment and livelihood development findings will be taken as primary reference materials. In addition, various news and reports that have been produced during the project implementation period shall feed into the plan. Similarly, towards stakeholder consultation process, wider stakeholder meetings and workshops shall be carried out. The study findings and stakeholder perception shall be integrated while producing the management plan.
At the outset, efforts will be put towards developing stakeholders' ownership on the integrated plan concept as such. In this regards, through formal and informal meetings and workshops, the stakeholders shall be given with the concept note. Once they feel comfortable with the concept, the execution processes begin.
As part of integrating conservation criteria in local development plan and programs, WTLCP has already shared its annual plan in all corridor adjoining VDCs and Municipality by attending in person their ongoing planning workshops. In addition, some of the VDCs have been influenced to formulate environment related activities and allocate budgets as matching fund for WTLCP supported biodiversity conservation activities.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Basanta Corridor towards Extinction
Ek Raj Sigdel
Dhangadi
Dhangadi
Basanta forest locally called "Badhkaban" is the largest chunk of Kailali district with 17,500 hectare. It serves as an important wildlife corridor connecting Churia hills in north and Dudhwa National Park of India in south. The area is endowed with rich biodiversity resources. It is a dispersal habitat of endangered wildlife species, like tiger, rhinoceros, and wild elephants. Besides, Ghodaghodi Lake, a Ramsar Site of Nepal is also situated adjacent to Basa
nta Corridor. Dolphins and 43 species of fish species are available in various river systems around the Corridor. The forest is a source of various products like firewood, timber and non timber resources for over 50,000 households of 14 Village Development Committees of Kailali District.However, about 2,000 hectare of the forest is encroached mainly in the name of freed labour, flood victims, and landlessness for human settlement development and agriculture expansion. Analysis of Basanta forest reveals that 17,560 hectare forest was lost between 1958 and 2001 which was 408 hectare forest reduction per year. If the existing deforestation trend continues, then the Basanta forest which has been an icon of national and international conservationist for few years will be vanished forever by the next 40 years.
The encroachment issue has become a prime agenda of discussion for wide ranged people including policy makers to implementers for few years. To understand the ground reality, the area has already been visited by higher level officials including Minister, Parliamentarians, Director General, District Forest Coordination Committee and many conservation experts. Besides, local and national media have brought out the issues in lime light forcefully.
Programs
To address the issues, the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation has implemented conservation activities through Terai Arc Landscape Program for over eight years. Conservation work has been initiated through community forestry program as an entry point since 2001. Thus far, a total of 38 community forests covering about 2,000 Hectare land have been handed over to local communities. To make the conservation efforts more effective, a Range Post level Community Forests Coordination Committee has been formed.
Contrary to this, deforestation trend has been on raise. The trend has aggravated even after peace building process in the country. With this encroachment the once intact wildlife habitats got fragmented. The land which was registered in the name of landless people in 2002 has already been purchased by elite people. It resulted in trapping the poor and landless people in a poverty vicious cycle. Besides, flood and siltation are other problems which have threatened the very life of local people in this area. Therefore, it seems that neither real poor and marginalised communities nor wildlife realised benefits from conservation and development work thus far.
Underlying causes
Policy is one of the major factors that have stimulated encroachment in Basanta Corridor. In the absence of clear role and responsibilities between Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation and Freed Labour Resettlement Council under the Ministry of Land Reform, about 6,000 Phyllenthus emblica in Radha Krishna Community Forest was removed to resettle freed labours without consultation and field verification in 2008. Kailashpuri Check Dam has posed great threats of over flowing of water in Dhansingpur, Narayanpur and other adjoining VDCs of Basanta Corridor during rainy season. It compels flood victim to refuge in Basanta Forest.
In the given resources, Kailali District Forest Office has not been able to discharge their responsibilities effectively and efficiently. For instance, the law enforcement mechanism has been badly hampered owing to the lack of adequate weapons and funding. In the program level, people participation in planning, implementing and benefit sharing mechanisms seems to be very poor. The local people are yet to be represented fairly in the decision making positions. Various NGO and INGOs in the name of humanitarian ground, has been flushing huge amount of money to supply onsite relief package including plastic roofs, water pump, among others. It resulted in increasing encroachment. Over and above, people opine that even the donors' money committed for conservation has not been reached to the real beneficiaries thus far.
Magnitude of Issue
The issue of encroachment is extended from local to national to international level. Therefore, the solution should be sought from these three tiers. From international level, the issues of flood are associated with ever degrading Chure Watershed and Kailashpuri Check Dam. Therefore it should be resolved through bilateral discussion between Nepal and India From national level, the government should formulate corridor policy and regulations that prohibit settlement in high conservation valued sites like corridor and connectivity areas. Even, policy of provisioning conditional land tenure to local people for promoting agro-forestry program could be an innovative option. The policy should emphasize on integrated land use planning that gives importance to partnership approach to conservation and development. In the changing socio-political scenario, the government should fix its knot and bolts so that it helps discharging its services effectively and efficiently. Likewise, principle of no free lunch should be strictly followed. A mechanism that requires performance based donor and government support to local communities should be designed.
The forest should be managed in multiple use concepts. Core area should be strictly protected while the fringe area should be managed scientifically so that both local communities and wildlife can be benefited. Alternative income and employment generation activities like non timber, timber and ecotourism management programs should be implemented effectively. Likewise, conservation communication strategy should focus on over all ecosystem benefits instead of existing strategy of focusing more on tiger and elephants. To address the issues of poverty, social mobilisation through saving and credit program should be implemented. Utmost efforts should be made to represent locals, Dalit and women in the decision making positions of user and coordination committees. If these efforts are made sincerely, then the issue of encroachment can be halted. It ultimately makes the corridor more functional.
Conclusion
Basanta Corridor encroachment issue has been in a lime light for few years. It is a prime concern of conservation as well as development workers. To maintain intrinsic value of Basanta Corridor, a package program that addresses conservation and poverty issues should be implemented at the earliest. Over and above a separate corridor conservation policy should be formulated timely. If government comes with the aforementioned policy and programs sooner, then there is a better chance for reviving Basanta Corridor.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Participatory Planning for Landscape Approach to Biodiversity Conservation
Ek Raj Sigdel
November, 2009
November, 2009
I have been involved in participatory planning process of Western Terai Landscape Complex Project (WTLCP) for four years. I have learned that the process, though it is very challenging in the present Nepalese context, when all the government institutions are not functioning properly is essential for landscape level biodiversity conservation. The participatory planning process helps developing common understanding amongst wider stakeholders. However, it takes relatively longer time framework to produce desired results compared to top down approach. To show early impact, it is essential to adopt course-filter-strategy while formulating activities and attaching budgets. Attention should be given for implementing package program in relatively higher conservation valued areas and general awareness program in other sites. I am confident that once the results are produced, then it gets higher chance for sustainability.
Landscape approach to biodiversity conservation considers local people as an integral part of an ecosystem. It gives emphasis on community based biodiversity conservation. It demands community initiatives to integrate biodiversity criteria in various inter woven land use system, that includes agriculture land, forest, grassland, wetland and watershed areas. To initiate the integration process, community should have higher level of conservation awareness. To enhance conservation awareness, it is essential to diversity livelihood opportunities of local communities. Contribution should be made on strengthening over all livelihood frameworks such as social capital development, institutional development, natural resources management, financial capital generation and human resources development. Linking livelihood with conservation is prerequisite to develop community stewardship towards biodiversity conservation. In this front forging partnership of various actors is necessary. Formation and strengthening of a stakeholder network at Village and District level is utmost important. Participatory planning process that brings all actors in a common platform could also act as a viable tool for supporting integrated conservation and development activities.
Participatory planning process can be viewed differently in the context of landscape approach to biodiversity conservation. It is widely acknowledged that participatory planning is one of the best methods for developing local community ownership towards conserving biodiversity resources. It supports holistic development approach. As landscape approach to conservation seeks biodiversity friendly activities in various matrices of land use systems and different jurisdictional framework, development and strengthening of network of concerned agencies is paramount. This helps to develop a common understanding of stakeholders on the goal of conserving biodiversity resources following landscape approach.
Realizing the fact that integrated development is essential to fulfill the community development to biodiversity conservation, WTLCP has adopted participatory planning approach from its inception phase. Every year the planning process starts from July and ends in December. The planning process begins with in-house reviewing of past activities and implementation experiences including relevancy, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability. Then, the planning process goes to settlement level, where forest / buffer zone user group prepare a list of activities to be implemented in the following year. Then the project supports two-day planning workshop in each working Village Development Committee (VDC). The VDC level workshop attends by village based stakeholders including VDC secretary, political parties, community based organizations, and field based line agencies and civil societies. Considering monitoring is an integral part of planning process, this year the project mobilized VDC level monitoring committees to observe WTLCP implemented field activities just before VDC level planning workshops. The monitoring feedback was also taken into account while promulgating activities for 2010. Each workshop comprises of more than 40 participants. After completing the VDC level planning, the plan comes to District Level Stakeholders Workshop. Then, the community plan finally gets endorsed from District Forest Coordination Committee, a mini parliament at district level. Finally, the plan goes to Project Executive Board (PEB) via Landscape Coordination Committee (LCC) and Project Coordination Committee (PCC) for final approval.
It’s a rigorous process. As it demands wider stakeholders' participation all project staff members are to be mobilized very tactfully to make the planning process as participatory as possible in the given time framework. The field level planning process alone needs at least one month. As the planning process demands contribution in terms of time and knowledge from each and every participant, it helps generating their ownership over the project activities. Further, as VDC and DDC are directly involved in the planning process, they suggest the local communities to bring their development agenda through VDC and DDC councils which ultimately become a matching development programs for the project supported conservation activities. Because of the joint planning exercises, some sort of informal linkage establishes between line agencies and local community based organizations too.
With this relationship, some community based organizations in the project sites have already enjoyed a few development benefits from the concerned line agencies in 2009. Birendra Adarsha community forest user group of Kanchanpur got improved grasses seed from District Livestock Service Office (DLSO). Similarly, Kailali DLSO supported pig farming to 50 households of Gyan Jyoti Community Forest in Kailali. Shankarpur Community Forest Coordination Committee of Kanchanpur accessed four water engines and a tractor from Kanchanpur District Agriculture Office. Likewise, Amargokul Community Forest User Group (CFUG), Kanchanpur accessed various infrastructure development activities like gravel, bridge maintenance, and school renovation from VDC and DDC budgets.
There are some drawbacks which we need to be cautious while undergoing participatory planning process. It is known fact that every participant of the planning process seeks inclusion of his/her voices in terms of activities for his/her area of interest – sectoral or geographical. Therefore, matching stakeholders' interest without compromising the project goal is really a very difficult task of the planning process. Otherwise, their grievance can be burst out any time during project implementation stage. Likewise, sometimes unmanageable numbers of activities are to be handled as stakeholders ranging from field to central level want to reflect their voice in the annual work plan.
On the whole, we should not expect encouraging result from the participatory planning process in a short run, but as it creates an enabling environment for establishing linkage of local communities with the development partners there remains higher chance of getting support from them even after completion of the project period. Investing resources following course-filter approach would be a best option for landscape level planning. Formulation and implementation of package programs focusing strategic location and general conservation awareness program in less conservation values area would be a viable strategy to create win-win situation of local communities and biodiversity resources. In the mean time project should be prepared for coordinating various developmental partners to fulfill community demands of developmental activities.
In a nut shell, participatory planning process could not be a panacea for addressing the need of landscape approach to biodiversity conservation. However, there is no alternative approach too to address the issues of biodiversity resources and livelihood improvement of local communities.
Monday, November 23, 2009
HOW FAR WE CAN GO FOR CLOSE MONITORING?
November 21, 2009
"Today was one of the happiest moments in my professional life when I knew that the project benefit realised by poorest of the poor sections of a society in Baisebichuwa, Kanchanpur and I also got disappointment today when I knew that the project money was not fully spent for the benefit of the target communities"
Two years back, Western Terai Landscape Complex Project (WTLCP) extended partial financial support for boring engine to 25 dalit households of Santitole settlement of Baisebichuwa, Kanchanpur. The support was provided in a cost sharing basis between local people and the project itself in 2:3 proportions. But, the community committed fund could not be generated in time. It resulted in incomplete work. Consequently, they were not able to irrigate their agricultural land in 2008.
The local community came up with a proposal that if project extends additional support of only Rs. 15,000 then they could manage the rest of engine establishment process, including construction of a shed by themselves which could costs a total of Rs. 30,000. Accordingly WTLCP extended the required support through a local NGO called Dalit Right Forum in April 2009. With this boring machine, this year alone some nine hectare land of 100 household, of which 90% were Dalit family got timely irrigation facility. The water user group provided the irrigation facilities to other neighbouring families in rent too. According to the local communities, rice productivity increased by six folds this year compared to previous times. Until 2008, firewood was one of the major sources of income to about 90% households. However this year only about 65% people relied on firewood for incremental income. In addition, many of the households have planted tree species in home yards. It made me happy.
I got disappointment when I knew that actually 53% of the total project contributed money was spent for fixing the boring engine. Still the engine shed was not constructed completely. Moreover, I came to know that the unspent money was being tried to be pocketed by the chair person of the NGO itself. When the Chairperson had come with an activity completion report with local communities' signature, I released the final instalment a few months back. Further, at the outset of the activity implementation stage, I had attended a village meeting and informed them about terms and conditions of the agreement. It made me basis for releasing the final instalment even without field verification.
Today I along with the NGO Chairperson and a WTLCP Community Motivator reached to the village to monitor performance of the boring engine. The local communities applauded the economic benefit of the engine. Also, they shared their happiness over the easiness brought in their life by the irrigation. In the mean time, a villager raised an issue of incomplete work and unavailability of all the agreed money. When, I made clear that no money should go to the pocket of any person involved in this activity, then the NGO chairperson admitted that he still had unspent Rs. 7,000. Then he vowed to provide the left out money to the local communities for completing the engine shed soon. Also, with this money the community promised to complete the entire work within November, 2009. If we were not there today it seemed that the NGO Chairperson could have misused the poor and dalit community targeted money.
From this case it can be learned that even a small activity should be monitored closely so as to ensure the wise use of project money. It associates with project image too.
"Today was one of the happiest moments in my professional life when I knew that the project benefit realised by poorest of the poor sections of a society in Baisebichuwa, Kanchanpur and I also got disappointment today when I knew that the project money was not fully spent for the benefit of the target communities"
Two years back, Western Terai Landscape Complex Project (WTLCP) extended partial financial support for boring engine to 25 dalit households of Santitole settlement of Baisebichuwa, Kanchanpur. The support was provided in a cost sharing basis between local people and the project itself in 2:3 proportions. But, the community committed fund could not be generated in time. It resulted in incomplete work. Consequently, they were not able to irrigate their agricultural land in 2008.
The local community came up with a proposal that if project extends additional support of only Rs. 15,000 then they could manage the rest of engine establishment process, including construction of a shed by themselves which could costs a total of Rs. 30,000. Accordingly WTLCP extended the required support through a local NGO called Dalit Right Forum in April 2009. With this boring machine, this year alone some nine hectare land of 100 household, of which 90% were Dalit family got timely irrigation facility. The water user group provided the irrigation facilities to other neighbouring families in rent too. According to the local communities, rice productivity increased by six folds this year compared to previous times. Until 2008, firewood was one of the major sources of income to about 90% households. However this year only about 65% people relied on firewood for incremental income. In addition, many of the households have planted tree species in home yards. It made me happy.
I got disappointment when I knew that actually 53% of the total project contributed money was spent for fixing the boring engine. Still the engine shed was not constructed completely. Moreover, I came to know that the unspent money was being tried to be pocketed by the chair person of the NGO itself. When the Chairperson had come with an activity completion report with local communities' signature, I released the final instalment a few months back. Further, at the outset of the activity implementation stage, I had attended a village meeting and informed them about terms and conditions of the agreement. It made me basis for releasing the final instalment even without field verification.
Today I along with the NGO Chairperson and a WTLCP Community Motivator reached to the village to monitor performance of the boring engine. The local communities applauded the economic benefit of the engine. Also, they shared their happiness over the easiness brought in their life by the irrigation. In the mean time, a villager raised an issue of incomplete work and unavailability of all the agreed money. When, I made clear that no money should go to the pocket of any person involved in this activity, then the NGO chairperson admitted that he still had unspent Rs. 7,000. Then he vowed to provide the left out money to the local communities for completing the engine shed soon. Also, with this money the community promised to complete the entire work within November, 2009. If we were not there today it seemed that the NGO Chairperson could have misused the poor and dalit community targeted money.
From this case it can be learned that even a small activity should be monitored closely so as to ensure the wise use of project money. It associates with project image too.
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