COMBAT AGAINST COVID-19

On 11th March 2020, WHO declared Novel Corona virus Disease(COVID-19) outbreak as a pandemic and advised all countries to take immediate actions and scale up response to treat, detect and reduce transmission to save people’s lives. Corona virus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease. Most people who fall sick with COVID-19 will experience mild to moderate symptoms and recover without special treatment.

The virus COVID-19 is mainly transmitted through droplets generated when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or exhales. The best way to prevent and slow down transmission is be well informed about the COVID-19 virus, the disease it causes and how it spreads. For the sake of lives lost; we acknowledge the issue, Care for precautions, act in the best health interests of our society, work together and hurt Corona.

In this context Jharsuguda Forest Division has taken some initiatives to create awareness among the VSS community for preventing COVID-19 and promotion of livelihood opportunity.

Forest protection and Employment Generation:

During the lockdown period, people of different VSS under OFSDP-II as well as workers from other blocks have engaged in different forest development works. They are engaged in works like fire line construction, nursery work and SMC work maintaining social distancing and guidelines of COVID-19. Jharsuguda Forest division provided them income through generating employment in this crisis situation.

 

Women’s Self-Help Groups (WSHGs) prepared Face Masks: Women’s Self-Help Groups (WSHGs) are working as front line COVID-19 fighter in the VSS areas. They have voluntarily provided various services to protect against COVID-19 in Jharsuguda District. The members of 10 WSHGs from Kolabira FMU have prepared more than 15000 masks and sold to ICDS, Laikera, DFO and Range Officers of Jharsuguda Forest Division.

Face Mask, Sanitizer & Soap Distribution: WSHGs members of Niktimal, Kelada, Siriapali, Khunapali, Parmanpur & Ludunga VSSs have distributed 5000 face masks free of cost to the poor people in their respective villages & created awareness about the use of mask & sanitizer to fight against COVID19.

Further, 15961 face masks, soap and sanitizers were distributed to the VSS people by contributing funds from Forest department, Staffs of OFSDP-II, Ekalya Gramo Uthan (NGO), Siriapali and ICDSs of Laikera, Kirimira, kolabira & Lakhanpur. The WSHGs members have sensitized community people to maintain social distancing, avoid gathering, use of mask, personal health & hygiene & also demonstrated procedures of hand wash.

Farmers easily sold produces:  Small farmers from Deopali & Sukhadihi VSS became able to sell their produced vegetable easily through Mission Shakti & AHO with the help of PNGO and FMU coordinators.

Dry Food Distribution: The FMU Kolabira team members coordinated with Vedanta Pvt. Ltd and proprietor of Rajlaxmi store, Samasinga, Kolabira, and distributed 101 dry food packets among the poor people of Dhengurjore, Jalibahal & Kelda VSSs.  The Sarapanch & VSS members supported the team members in distributing the food packets in the VSSs.

Hot cooked meal distribution: WSHG members of Kudaloi VSS have distributed hot cooked meals to the poor and needy people of that area with financial support from the Sarapanch, Kudaloi GP.

 Street playStreet play is a medium to sensitize the common people for receiving ideal behavior from the group by performing for some minutes. The Kolabira FMU has taken steps for organizing street play to create awareness among the VSS people to prevent COVID- 19. 5 numbers of street play have been organized at Dengurjore, Jamcuan, Pakharasale, Gahmapalli & Parmanpur VSS to convey the message to obey the Govt. Guidelines and sensitize the community people on maintaining social distancing, frequent hand wash and use of face mask.  The team consists of the animators, EC members and PNGO staffs.

Foot rally: The PNGO team members & FMU coordinators had organized 4 numbers of foot rally at J. Pundkimal, Jalibahal & Naikdihi on dated 29.04.20 & 30.4.20 by maintaining social distancing to create awareness for preventing COVID 19. The SHG members, VSS members, AWW, HW (F), ASHA and other volunteers from the village actively participated in the foot rally. The villagers were sensitized regarding personal health & hygiene, use of Mask and sanitizer to fight against COVID 19.

Door to door counseling: Animators & EC members counseled & sensitized the community people of 80 VSSs of all

three FMUs by going door to door on maintaining social distancing, frequently hand wash and use of face Mask.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT TOWARDS COMBATING COVID-19:

Small Contribution to CMRF for fighting against COVID-19:

  • One-day salary of all Forest Dept. Staffs of Jharsuguda Division: Rs.83620/-
  • One-day salary of OFSDP-II staffs, Jharsuguda: Rs.15210/-
  • Contribution From VSSs (OFSDP-II): Rs. 82032/-
  • Contribution from WSHGs: Rs. 7150/-

As a whole Jharsuguda Forest Division contributed Rs. 188012/- to CMRF as a support towards fighting against COVID-19.

AWARNESS PROGRAMMEE ON FOREST FIRE PREVENTION & MANAGEMENT

Fire season is fast approaching and necessary preparations are to be imitated for preparedness to prevent and combat fire incidences. In this regard, various Awareness Programmee were organized & the project personnel and VSS members are mobilized for taking up fire prevention and control measures. Hence, about 20 to 35 number of members are selected in each VSS of OFSDP-II and sensitized on Fire Protection measures. Such initiatives would help the forest personnel and villagers to take appropriate measures to tackle the forest fire. In this regard, a “Fire Fighting Squad” consisting of willing 7-10 active members are constituted at each VSS level for effective management of fire incidences during 2022.

 ELEPHANT MOVEMENT AWARENESS PROGRAMME AND CORRIDOR WALK.

Elephant movement awareness programme & corridor walk was organized at Elephant prone VSS under Kolabira & Bagdihi Range. This programme was attended by Member Lokayukta Sri Debabratan Swain, Chairman & Member of Save Elephant Trust, RCCF, Sambalpur, CCF (KL), Sambalpur, DFO, Jharsuguda. These programmes have helped sensitise more than 200 villagers about elephants and their habitat, the importance of corridors, and human-elephant conflict.