PREVIOUSLY ASKED IN:
WBPSC Miscellaneous Preliminary 2019
Answer
Forest Conservation
Explanation
The 'Chipko Movement' was a prominent non-violent, grassroots ecological movement in India primarily associated with Forest Conservation (preventing deforestation). It began in 1973 in the Garhwal Himalayas region of Uttarakhand (then part of Uttar Pradesh). The word 'Chipko' literally translates to 'to hug' or 'to cling to'. Local villagers, predominantly women, physically hugged the trees to protect them from being chopped down by commercial loggers.
Key Points
- > Sunderlal Bahuguna and Chandi Prasad Bhatt were the primary leaders and faces of the Chipko Movement.
- > Sunderlal Bahuguna famously coined the slogan: 'Ecology is permanent economy'.
- > Inspired by Chipko, the 'Appiko Movement' started in the Western Ghats of Karnataka in 1983 to save forests.
- > The Narmada Bachao Andolan (led by Medha Patkar) is another major movement focused on the displacement caused by large dams.
- > The movement significantly elevated the role of women in ecological conservation.
Additional Information
Important Environmental Movements in India
| Movement | Year | Key Leader | Core Objective |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bishnoi Movement | 1730 | Amrita Devi Bishnoi | Protecting sacred Khejri trees in Rajasthan |
| Chipko Movement | 1973 | Sunderlal Bahuguna | Protecting Himalayan forests from logging |
| Silent Valley Project | 1978 | Kerala SSSP | Saving tropical evergreen forests |
| Appiko Movement | 1983 | Pandurang Hegde | Conserving Western Ghats forests in Karnataka |
| Narmada Bachao Andolan | 1985 | Medha Patkar | Protesting large dams and displacement |
Memory Tips
- Chipko meaning: To stick or to hug. The act of hugging trees directly points to Forest Conservation.