The
Corbett Foundation
The Corbett Foundation, named after the legendary Jim Corbett, is a
registered non - government, non - profit public charitable trust
established on April 22nd 1994 by Mr. Dilip D. Khatau, Chairman of Varun
Shipping Co. Ltd., Mumbai and associated group of companies including the
company which owns the Infinity Resorts. Since its establishment, the
Foundation has been working for the conservation of biodiversity. The
Foundation is mainly funded by Mr. Khatau's companies and associates and
receives project grants from WWF – India, the Paul Hamlyn Foundation of
UK, the Millichope Foundation of UK and various individual donors.
The activities of Corbett Foundation are conducted at two divisions - one
based in village Dhikuli near the Corbett National Park and the other in
Tera village of Abdasa Taluka in Kutch.
Wildlife Programme
The main objective of the wildlife programmes of the Foundation are to
reduce the human-animal conflict in the buffer zone of the Corbett Tiger
Reserve. A major problem faced by the local rural people living at the
periphery of the tiger reserve is that of loss of livestock by predators
like the leopard and the tiger and crop damage from wild herbivores. In
1995, the Foundation introduced an interim relief programme to provide on
the spot ex-gratia financial assistance to the affected people. Later in
1997, the WWF–India acknowledged the scheme under its Tiger
Conservation Programme to provide security cover to the tiger from
poisoning. Under the scheme a vehicle and communication equipment has been
provided to the Foundation and funding continues to be provided. The
Foundation also assists humans injured or killed by wild animals. The
Foundation also undertakes wildlife related research projects.
Medical Programme
The medical programme of the Foundation has its origins in a contact
programme conducted by Mr. Khatau before the Foundation was formed. One of
the major problems faced by the villagers was inaccessibility to medical
facilities. Keeping this in mind the Foundation started a Rural Medical
Outreach Programme under which outdoor medical camps are organised in
villages on the edges of the Corbett Tiger Reserve. About 50 nearby villages
are benefited from this programme. This programme receives financial aid
from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, UK. Recently the Foundation has undertaken
a TB-eradication project in collaboration with the World Memorial Fund For
Disaster Relief.
Awareness
Programme
This started way back in 1995. The Foundation runs an awareness programme
for school children and villagers. The programme consists of exposure visit
to Corbett National Park, workshops, bird watch camps, film shows and
activities during Wildlife Week (October 1 to 7). Presently, the Foundation
has undertaken a six-month Elephant Awareness Project in collaboration with
Centre for Environment Education to be conducted in 20 schools in the buffer
zone of the Corbett Tiger Reserve.
Eco-tourism
The Eco-Tourism wing – the recent addition to the Foundation -
promotes the laws & ethics of eco-tourism and monitors tourism activity
in the Corbett area. The Foundation offers assistance for shaping
interpretation facilities and implementation of eco-tourism. The
interpretation facilities at Infinity Resorts have been developed with the
assistance of the Foundation. The foundation is also equipped to conduct
orientation workshops for tourism establishments and related organisations.
Kutch Ecological Research Centre
This division of the Foundation, with its base in Kutch area, was started
in 1998. A medical programme for 45 villages is being successfully run and
efforts are being made to win the trust and belief of local communities to
win their support for conservation. Initiatives are being taken to bring
some of the areas important for wildlife, under protection and to improve
habitat. Projects are also being devised for grassland management and water
harvesting. The Kutch Ecological Research Centre has also been contributing
to the relief and rehabilitation work after the January 26th 2001
earthquake.
