Environmental movements in post-independence India against anti-environmental capitalist extraction and natural resource degradation:
An environmenal movement can be defined as a social or political movement, for the conservation of the environment or for the improvement of the state of the environment. The terms 'green movement' or 'conservation movement' are alternatively used to denote the same. The environmental movements favour the sustainable management of natural resources.
The movements often stress the protection of the environment via changes in public policy. Many movements are centred on ecology, health and human rights.
1. Bishnoi Movement: Year: 1730
Place: Khejarli, Marwar region, Rajasthan state.
Leaders: Amrita Devi along with Bishnoi villagers in Khejarli and surrounding villages.
Aim: Save sacred trees from being cut down by the king's soldiers for a new palace.
What was it all about: Amrita Devi, a female villager could not bear to witness the destruction of both her faith and the village's sacred trees.
She hugged the trees and encouraged others to do the same. 363 Bishnoi villagers were killed in this movement. The Bishnoi tree martyrs were influenced by the teachings of Guru Maharaj Jambaji, who founded the Bishnoi faith in 1485 and set forth principles forbidding harm to trees and animals. The king who came to know about these events rushed to the village and apologized, ordering the soldiers to cease logging operations.
2. Chipko Movement: Year: 1973
Leaders: Sundarlal Bahuguna, aura Devi, Sudesha Devi, Bachni Devi, Chandi Prasad Bhatt, Govind Singh
Rawat, Dhoom Singh Negi, Shamsher Singh Bisht and Ghanasyam Raturi.
Aim: The main objective was to protect the trees on the Himalayan slopes from the axes of contractors of
the forest.
What was it all about: Mr. Bahuguna enlightened the villagers by conveying the importance of trees in the
environment which checks the erosion of soil, cause rains and provides pure air. The women of Advani
village of Tehri-Garhwal tied the sacred thread around trunks of trees and they hugged the trees, hence it
was called the 'Chipko Movement' or 'hug the tree movement'.
3. Save Silent Valley Movement: Year: 1978
Leaders: The Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad an NGO, and the poet-activist Sughathakumari played an important role in the Silent Valley protests.
Aim: In order to protect the Silent Valley, the moist evergreen forest from being destroyed by a hydroelectric project.
What was it all about: The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) proposed a hydroelectric dam across the Kunthipuzha River that runs through Silent Valley. In February 1973, the Planning Commission approved the project at a cost of abut Rs 25 crores. Many feared that the project would submerge 8,3 sq km of untouched moist evergreen forest. Several NGOs strongly opposed the project and urged the government to abandon it.
4. Jungle Bachao Andholan: Year: 1982
Place: Singhbhum district of Bihar
Leaders: The tribals of Singhbhum. Aim: Against governments decision to replace the natural sal forest with
Teak.
What was it all about: The tribals of the Singhbhum district of Bihar started the protest when the government decided to replace the natural sal forests with the highly-priced teak. This move was called by many "Greed Game Political Populism". Later this movement spread to Jharkhand and Orissa.
5. Appiko Movement: Year: 1983
Place: Uttara Kannada and Shimoga districts of Karnataka State
Leaders: Chipko's greatest strengths lie in it being neither driven by a personality nor having been formally institutionalised. However, it does have a facilitator in Pandurang Hegde. He helped launch the movement in 1983.
Aim: Against the felling and commercialization of natural forest and the ruin of ancient livelihood.
What was it all about: It can be said that the Chipko movement is the southern version of the Chipko
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