The spirit of Chipko needs to be revived

Some years back in a series of highly inspiring actions, Himalayan villagers in many parts of what is now present-day Uttarakhand prevented the axing of forest trees.

- BHARAT DOGRA

Some years back in a series of highly inspiring actions, Himalayan villagers in many parts of what is now present-day Uttarakhand prevented the axing of forest trees. In several places, as in the forests of Advani and Salet in Tehri Garhwal district, they hugged trees to protect them while being surrounded by those who had come to cut trees, risking serious injury to themselves. Women played a particularly important role in most of these protests. In addition there were other supporting actions against felling of forests like protest marches and protests against auction of forests (such as the one in Narendranagar which led to several villagers including women being jailed for several days). All these actions were non-violent and the most important role in these protests was that of various Gandhian/Sarvodaya social activists.

Most of these actions took place in the 1970s and the early 1980s. They had a happy ending as the Government of India agreed to ban commercial felling of trees over a vast Himalayan area for several years. These struggles gained widespread recognition as the Chipko (hug the trees) movement and their impact could be seen in many places, most of all in the famous Appiko movement of Karnataka, but also in many other parts of the country and abroad.