50 Years of the Chipko Movement: A Legacy of Environmental Activism

The Chipko Movement originated in Uttarakhand in 1973, recently marked its 50th anniversary.

1. This nonviolent agitation aimed to protect forests from deforestation caused by commercial logging.
2. The legacy of the Chipko movement reminds us that ordinary people can make a difference in protecting the environment and promoting sustainable practices.
3. Its 50th anniversary is a time to reflect on its achievements and continue the fight for a greener and more equitable future.

What was the Chipko Movement?

The movement began when villagers, mainly women, in the Himalayan villages of Reni and Mandal embraced trees to stop them from being cut. The word "Chipko" means "to embrace" in Hindi, which reflects the protesters' primary tactic.

Key Figures and Leaders:

1. Chandi Prasad Bhatt: A Gandhian social activist and environmentalist who founded the Dasholi Gram Swarajya Mandal (DGSM), which played an important role in organising the movement.
2. Sundarlal Bahuguna: A Gandhian activist who played a crucial role in spreading awareness and mobilising people against deforestation.
3. Gaura Devi: A village woman who led a group of women in Reni to confront loggers, becoming an icon of resistance.

Philosophy Behind the Movement:

The Chipko movement was based on Gandhian principles of non-violence and harmony with nature. Its objective was to empower local communities and give them a voice in decision making regarding natural resources.

Impact:

The Chipko Movement achieved significant success, including:

1. Policy Changes: It led to a ban on commercial felling of trees above a certain slope and elevation in 1981.

2. Inspiration for Similar Movements: The movement inspired similar environmental protests across India and internationally.

3. Empowerment of Women: The movement played a crucial role in empowering women and recognizing their contributions to environmental conservation.

Relevance in 2024:

The Chipko movement remains relevant today, serving as an inspiration for grassroots activism and a reminder of the power of collective action. Its principles of sustainability, community participation and nonviolent resistance remain important in addressing contemporary environmental challenges such as climate change and deforestation.

Other Similar Environmental Movements:

Name of Movement	Year	Place	Leaders	Details
Bishnoi Movement	1700	Khejuri, Manvar region in Rajasthan	Amrita Devi	Used to hug trees to stop their cutting.
Chipko Movement	1973	Uttarakhand	Sunderlal Bahuguna	The main objective was to protect the trees on the Himalayan slopes from the axes of contractors of the Tehri Dam project.
Silent Valley Movement	1978	Silent Valley, Kerala	Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad	A movement against the Silent Valley Hydroelectric Project. In November 1983, the Silent Valley Hydroelectric Project was cancelled. In 1985, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi inaugurated the Silent Valley National Park.
Appiko Movement	1982	Singhbhum district of Jharkhand	Tribals	Against government plans to replace the natural forest with Teak plantations.
Save Aarey Movement	2019	Aarey National Park in Mumbai	Medha Patkar, Arundhati Roy, and various NGOs	Against the felling of trees in the Aarey Colony for the Mumbai Metro Limited's (MMRLC) project.
Save Dehing-Patkai	Nov 2019	Dehing-Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam	Rohit Chaudhary, Adil Hussain, Randeep Hooda, and Joi Jadav Payeng	A movement against the decision by the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) to allow mining in the Dehing-Patkai Sanctuary.
Save the Sundarbans	2019-2020	The Sundarbans, West Bengal	All Assam Students' Union and All Assam Matak Youth Students' Union	A campaign to raise awareness about the threats to the Sundarbans mangrove forest after Cyclone Amphan in May 2020.

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