The Corbett Foundation is a private, registered trust that was founded on 22 April 1994. The setting up of the Trust was the idea of Mr. Dilip Dharamsey Khatau. He is the settler of the Trust. The Trust is set up purely for public and charitable purposes. This includes the following:

a. To preserve, protect and conserve the unique ecosystem of Corbett country in the foothills of the Himalayas, and in the Kumaon and Garhwal hills of western U.P.

b. To restore the natural harmony between human beings and the surrounding flora and fauna in the natural environment.

c. To restore the ancient, simple culture of the hill folk of the Kumaon and Garhwal hills.

d. To preserve and restore the places which Jim Corbett visited and lived in.

e. To create an awareness of the importance of preservation of the Corbett country for posterity and to appreciate the coexistence of man and animals in their natural environment.

f. Financing research projects that are totally result-oriented.

g. Focusing the Government of India’s attention on specific conservation issues.

h. Raising funds to support these issues.

i. To preserve, protect and conserve the unique ecosystem; to restore the other places and do all other activities as mentioned above, anywhere in the country and outside.


Medical Outreach Programme
This program has grown from strength to strength in the last one year. it was initially conceived as a humanitarian response to the basic needs of the local population who has virtually no access to medical aid.

First Aid boxes have been provided to all the villages. These First Aid boxes contain non-prescription and preventive medicines. A medical team visits each village every month. The medical worker attends to minor medical complaints of the villagers and replenishes the First Aid boxes. Lectures and literature are given to the villagers concerning topics like drinking water management and prevention of seasonal diseases. The main health problems are stomach and liver ailments, skin problems and malaria. While interacting with the villagers, the team also exchanges views on environmental and ecological ‘matters. The Foundation has arranged medical camps (especially for women and children) and will then open dispensaries. During the monsoons, the villages were supplied with medicines and First Aid boxes despite the massive disruption of the roads in these regions.

Awareness programme
Villagers are taken in batches to the Dhikala tourist complex of the Corbett National Park every week during the tourist season, where they are not only given the opportunity to see the rich flora and fauna, but also get to meet the Director of Corbett Tiger Reserve and other staff members, with whom they interact and exchange ideas and information. The significant part, is that the areas visited are those not normally open to day visitors. This reflects the positive attitude of the Corbett Tiger Reserve authorities in creating awareness on the conservation and preservation of the environment. The Park Authorities have also waived the entry fee for the participants of this program. The Foundation sponsors the bus fare and acts as the facilitator for the programme.

Currently, school-going children of the district are undergoing an environment conservation awareness programme.

Krakow luxury hotels Varun Shipping has donated a CTV, VCP and a generator. With this equipment movies and other educational films will be shown in the schools and villages of the nearby areas.

Edgeworth India Trust has donated Rs3.5 lacs for this program in the current financial year.

Vocational / Self-employment
One of the most serious and potentially dangerous problems in the region is that of unemployment among the educated male youth. The Foundation is just about commencing to tackle this problem. However, the womenfolk in some villages suggested that the Foundation open some centres to teach young ladies the art of cutting and sewing cloth. Sewing machines have been provided to two centers and instructors have been employed. Mobile sewing machine centres continue to be popular with the women. During the period under review, eleven centres have been run and have benefited 14 lady instructors financially and 169 women trainees to upgrade their skills.

Incidentally, these ‘Sewing Centers’ being the meeting point for womenfolk, have each been provided with a health care book that covers the full range of health, hygiene, preventive medicine and medication. The idea is to improve the health of village families through the key person-the mother/wife.

Interim Relief on Loss Of Life
The Foundation provides financial relief and advice on how to obtain government compensation in case of injury or death caused to human beings or domestic animals by wild animals. The latter is a common occurrence; but the death/injury to human beings is not as uncommon as may be thought. By providing immediate relief we are able to reduce the antagonism against the predator which may even be expressed in poisoning of the carcass. This programme besides bringing immediate relief to the concerned villager also enables the Foundation to provide information about tiger activity in the buffer zones and adjoining areas to the CTR and forest division authorities.

During the period of report there has been a sharp increase in the number of victims (livestock) that were killed or injured by leopards (Panthera pardus) and tigers (Panthera tigris). There were a total number of 148 cases reported of which 140 were admitted for relief. The amount of financial relief disbursed in the period is Rs 82,107.00. This program has also helped the Foundation personnel to collect data on various aspects of the predators and their behaviour. This served as useful database for the survey on tigers conducted by the WPSI in collaboration with the Foundation and shall feature in the survey Report.

Mahaseer Protection Program
Due to a natural phenomena, an ideal Mahaseer fish pool was formed on the Kosi River, close to the Foundation office,. This has resulted in thousands of Mahaseer staying in the pool and the number of fish in the immediate vicinity of the pool also increasing substantially, in comparison to the previous years. Besides the Mahaseer, brown spotted trout, that haven’t been common in the Kosi for ages have also been spotted. This is a prime example of how nature thrives when not over exploited or unduly interfered with.

Solar Power Assisted Electric Fence
One of the disadvantages of living in the vicinity of a National Park or Sanctuary, is the destruction to crops by wild animals. A solution to this could be the low powered, battery operated, electric fence. The system is simple to maintain and the battery is kept charged through solar energy. One fence has been installed at Bhakrakot village at a cost of Rs.1,21,137 . The fence covers a parameter of 3km. The fence was responsible for greatly reducing the loss of the crops due to raids by wild animals . The fence could do with a little refinement and more binding and effective system worked out with the villagers for its maintenance since its effectiveness is dependent on this. After ironing out all the teething problems, and conducting a survey on its usefulness and performance we may consider installing the system in one or two more villages.

The Forgotten Tigers of Corbett
There are many tigers and leopards in the forest areas outside the CTR , which lack the protection enjoyed within its boundaries, and are hence under enhanced threat. To assess the status of this tiger population, and to devise a practical action on what can be done, TCF has started a project in collaboration with the Wildlife Protection Society Of India (WPSI). An interim report has already been submitted to the Chief Wildlife Warden of U.P.

Participation in World Bank Sponsored Eco-Development Projects
A school of thought is fast gaining ground that the willing co-operation of local communities for preservation of ecosystems is indispensable. It is imperative to accept that not only do the people have an impact on Protected Areas but that the creation of Protected Areas has impinged upon certain traditional rights of the village. This in essence is what has been termed as ECO-DEVELOPMENT. The Foundation is also trying to promote environment-friendly culture in the form of folk songs transmitted through the All India Radio to the rural audience.

The World Bank is likely to give aid worth 65 million dollars for the U. P Forestry Project, which is to carry out micro-level eco-development projects in Uttar-Pradesh. CTR has been selected for implementation of this project in first phase. The World Bank has stipulated participation c-,f local NG0s in the micro-planning process. The Corbett Foundation has been selected as the NGO for Corbett and is expected to make available two motivators for their four-member spearhead team to be soon.

Beginning of A Wildlife Wing
The Foundation has moved forward in its aim of developing a full-fledged Wildlife Wing with the provision of developing an important post for a Wildlife Biologist.

Awards
The Corbett Foundation has announced an annual award of Rs 10,000 to a forester who contributes maximum to the preservation of the tiger or its prey species.

Conclusion
The Corbett Foundation is the only N.G.O. operating in and around the Corbett Tiger Reserve. Its basic aim is to build bridges of understanding between the villagers and the foresters in relation to the conservation of flora and fauna of the area. Although young and inexperienced, the Foundation has gained acceptance by both the village communities as well as the forest authorities.