Gaura Devi

The Chipko Movement was a significant environmental and socio-political movement in India that emerged in the 1970s. It is one of the earliest environmental movements aimed at protecting forests and promoting sustainable development. Here’s an overview:

Origin and Background

• Date and Place: The movement began in 1973 in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand (then part of Uttar Pradesh).
• Meaning: “Chipko” means “to hug” in Hindi, symbolizing the villagers’ method of embracing trees to protect them from being cut down.
• Inspiration: The movement was inspired by the Bishnoi community of Rajasthan, who practiced tree preservation and sacrificed lives in the 18th century to save Khejri trees.

Key Objectives

1. Prevent deforestation: Protect the local forests from commercial logging.
2. Support local livelihoods: Forests were essential for the villagers’ survival, providing firewood, fodder, and resources.
3. Raise environmental awareness: Highlight the ecological importance of trees in preventing soil erosion, floods, and maintaining biodiversity.

Key Leaders

• Chandi Prasad Bhatt: Founder of the Dasholi Gram Swarajya Sangh, a cooperative aimed at local self-reliance.
• Sunderlal Bahuguna: A Gandhian environmentalist who popularized the movement globally with the slogan, “Ecology is permanent economy.”
• Gaura Devi: A prominent female leader who led the women of the Reni village in physically protecting the forests.

Methods and Tactics

• Tree hugging: Villagers, especially women, formed human chains around trees to prevent loggers from felling them.
• Non-violent protest: The movement followed Gandhian principles of non-violence and peaceful resistance.

Achievements

1. Ban on logging: The movement resulted in a 15-year ban on commercial tree felling in the Himalayan region imposed by the Indian government.
2. Increased awareness: It brought attention to the need for forest conservation and sustainable development.
3. Legislation: Influenced India’s Forest Conservation Act of 1980, which regulated deforestation.

Legacy

• The Chipko Movement is regarded as a landmark in environmental activism and community-led conservation efforts.
• It inspired similar movements globally, including the Appiko Movement in Karnataka, India.
• It also emphasized the role of women in environmental conservation, making it a precursor to modern-day ecofeminism.