Archive · 18 Dec 2025
Children Protecting Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve
In the villages around Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh, children are helping to protect the forest and the tigers that live there.
They do this by stopping forest fires, teaching people how to live peacefully with animals, and planting trees.
A woman named Bhavna Menon started a program called 'Prakriti Ki Pathshala' to help these children.
The children also help families who have lost loved ones to animal attacks by giving them support and paying for their education.
The government is trying to increase the money given to families who lose someone to animal attacks, but it hasn't happened yet.
The children's work has made a big difference, and there are now very few forest fires.
Children in villages around Bandhavgarh National Park are part of the 'Junior Fire Watchers' squad, which helps prevent forest fires and promotes human-animal coexistence.
Bhavna Menon started 'Prakriti Ki Pathshala' in 2024 to mobilize students for forest conservation and human-animal harmony.
The initiative includes counselling for children affected by animal attacks, plantation drives, nature education camps, and awareness rallies.
The 'Junior Fire Watchers' have successfully reduced forest fires by 99% in the last two years.
The Madhya Pradesh Government increased compensation for families of animal attack victims from Rs 8 lakh to Rs 25 lakh, but the new scheme is not yet implemented.
- Who
- Children and conservationists in villages around Bandhavgarh National Park
- What
- Efforts to protect the forest and mitigate human-animal conflicts
- When
- Ongoing, with significant activities in 2024
- Where
- Bandhavgarh National Park and surrounding villages, Madhya Pradesh
- Why
- To prevent forest fires, promote human-animal coexistence, and support affected families
- Location
- Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh
- Initiative
- Prakriti Ki Pathshala
- Year Started
- 2024
- Key Activities
- Forest fire prevention, human-animal conflict awareness, nature education camps, plantation drives
- Impact
- 99% reduction in forest fires
- Compensation for Victims
- Rs 8 lakh (pre-2024), Rs 25 lakh (proposed but not yet implemented)