Question

Explain the Chipko movement.

Answer 1

1. In the 1970s, an organised resistance to the destruction of forests spread throughout India. It came to be known as Chipko Andolan. Chipko literally means hug the trees. The movement was led by Sunderlal Bahuguna and several other civil society leaders.
2. Ghanshyam Raturi, the chipko poet wrote a poem describing the method of embracing the trees to save them felling: 
   "Embrace the trees and
   Save them from being felled;
   The property of our hills,
   Save them from being looted". 
3. Sundarlal Bahuguna undertook a 5000 kilometre foot march to spread the Chipko message. He coined the chipko slogan "Ecology is permanent economy". Chandi Prasad Bhatt, an activist went into the forest and formed a circle around the trees preventing them from cutting. Dhoom Singh Negi along with village women coined the slogan.
   What do the forests bear?
   Soil, water and pure air?
4. The chipko andolan drew worldwide attention. It inspired environmentalists both in India and abroad. It made a substantial contribution to eco-ferminism, deep ecology, community based conservation and sustainable development. The chipko movement led to a ban on the felling of green trees in the Himalayan forests.