Sariska Sanrakshan Sabha

System of Sariska Sabha

Sariska Sanrakshan Sabha has 2 village level institutions - sariska sanrakshan samuh in every school and is made up of kids and at the village level samudayik sanrakshan sariska samuh made up one person from every village who has done some animal protection or jungle conservation work and is selected by the Gram Sabha and TBS jointly. There are 165 villages outside Sariska and 22 inside (core and buffer).

Sariska Sanrakshan Sabha is a policy level organization that tries to influence government policy on forests and people in a way that the community gets its rights and is involved in the management/protection of forests. It coordinates between the forest deptt and the community and is a community driven decentralized wildlife and forest conservation process strengthening agent. It comprises Sariska field director, rangers, foresters/guards and representatives from the community including teachers, social workers, community leaders. It has two levels – a sabha with 300 members and a Sariska Sanchalan Samiti with 11 members.

Activities

• Stop the felling of trees and jungle and stop hunters from entering the forest.
• Children are taught the linkages between forests, animals, and the importance of Sariska to inculcate a sense of pride in protecting the forest.
• Villagers stop cattle and camels of nomads and shepherds from entering the forest.
• Stop encroachment from villagers.
• Oppose activites such as mining, construction of hotels etc.
• Give poacher information to the forest department

Sariska Sanrakshan Mandal

The second level in the Sabha is the range level People and students from the sariska sanrakshan samuh and samudayik sanrakshan sariska samuh have formed 4 mandals one in each of the 4 ranges. These are called Sariska Sanrakshan Mandal. Each school has a student and teacher and a representative from samudayik sanrakshan sariska samuh. Women are also present.

Activities

• The forest deptt and the village community build linkages at this level specially where sharing of information on jungles, animals is concerened.
• Monitor the work of forest guards, beat guards, as well as the community.
• To check malpractices, the Mandals create social pressures to bring the offenders. There is also a system of fining offenders