GLANCE VIEW OF CHIPKO MOVEMENT

1. The Chipko Movement
(1973)
The hugging movement

3. INTRODUCTION
 Chipko means tree hugging as the
villagers hugged the trees. The name of the
movement comes from the word 'embrace',
as the villagers hugged the trees, and
prevented the contractors' from felling
them.
 It was primarily a forest coversation
movement in india came to public attention
in april 1973.

4. The original ’Chipko movement’ was started around
260 years back in the early part of the 18th century in
Rajasthan by this community. A large group of them
from 84 villages led by a lady called Amrita Devi laid
down their lives in an effort to protect the trees
from being felled on the orders of the Maharaja
(King) of Jodhpur. After this incident, the maharaja
gave a strong royal decree preventing the cutting of
trees in all Bishnoi villages.

6. The people of uttrakhand region, situated in central
himalayas, raised their voice fin 1973 in CHAMOLI
district through CHIPKO MOVEMENT, to say their
life is mainly dependent on forest.

8. BACKGROUND
Government's decision to allot forest
trees to a sports goods company.
It was sparked off by the
government's decision to allot a plot
of forest area in the Alaknanda valley
to a sports goods company.
Chipko Movement aimed at protection
and conservation of trees and forests
from being destroyed.

9. The birth of chipko movement
Gaura Devi
(an elderly woman)
 Head of the village Mahila
Mangal Dal.
 Mobilized village women
for the movement when
company men marched to
cut the trees.

10. Gaura Devi stood on way
and declared:
“The forest nurtures us
like a mother; you will
only be able to use your
axes on it but you have
to use them first on
us.”

11. Sparking off of the movement
 Chandi Prasad Bhatt
 Sunder Lal Bahuguna
 Sarla Bahen from Lakshmi Ashram
 Women groups
 the Uttarakahand Sangharsh Vahini (USV)

12. took part in different rallies and
gatherings
highlighted the importance of trees in
the life of human beings.
active in protecting the forests from
auctions for commercial cuttings

13. Sparking off of the movement
 Ghanasyam Raturi, the Chipko poet, whose
songs echoed the during the movement
describing the method of embracing the
trees to save them from felling.
“Embrace the trees and
Save them from being felled;
The wealth of our hills,
Save them from being looted.”

14. Why Chipko Movement?
The forests of India are a critical resource for the livelihood
of rural peoples throughout the country.
These forests have been increasingly felled for commerce
and industry.
If the Himalayas are not saved all of India will be turned in to
a desert, Fodder will not be available.
There will be Soil Erosion and land slides.
The Chipko movement was started to prevent the cutting of
trees.
Chipko Movement aimed at protection and conservation of
trees and forests from being destroyed.

15. Success of Chipko movement
 The movement has spread to many states in
the country.
 It stopped felling of trees in the Western
Ghats and the Vindhyas.
 Generated pressure for formulation of a
natural resource policy.
 Achieved a major victory in 1980 with a 15-
year ban on green felling in the Himalayan
forests
 More than 1,00,000 trees have been saved
from excavation.

16. Success of Chipko movement
 Afterward environmental awareness
increased dramatically in India.
 New methods of forest farming have been
developed, both to conserve the forests and
create employment.
 By 1981, over a million trees had been
planted through their efforts.
 Villagers paid special attention in care of the
trees and forest trees are being used
judiciously.

17. Irrespective of chipko’s grassroots
achievement, it accomplished a great deal at
the NATIONAL and INTERNATIONAL level.
In 1987, the chipko movement was
awarded the “THE RIGHT LIVELIHOOD
AWARD”

18. THANK YOU
Presented by:
GUNJAN KAPOOR