chipko movement ruined local economy

1. CAN CUTTING TREES
CONTRIBUTE TO CLIMATE
CHANGE MITIGATION?
PRESENTED BY:
ER. MAHATIM YADAV
DIVISIONAL FOREST OFFICER,
ALMORA FOREST DIVISION, ALMORA

2. CAN CUTTING TREES CONTRIBUTE TO CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION?
ORIGINAL INTENT
OF FOREST
DEPARTMENT:
HARVESTING FOREST
SUSTAINABLY
CHIPKO MOVEMENT:
IT WAS NOT AGAINST CUTTING
TREES RATHER A STRUGGLE
FOR SOCIOECONOMIC RIGHTS
OVER FOREST.
CHIR PINE:
LIFELINE OF HILLS WHOSE
ROLE IN CLIMATE CHANGE
MITIGATION STILL REMAINS
UNRECOGNIZED

3. ORIGINAL INTENT OF FOREST DEPARTMENT:
HARVESTING FOREST SUSTAINABLY
• Forest dept was created in British India in 1864 with purpose to ensure
sustainable and regular supply of timber, fuelwood, charcoal and other
forest produce (eg. Resin).
• For this , vast tracts of wooded country was notified as reserved forest
and scientific forest management started.
• Before reservation, the needs of locals was assessed by forest settlement
officer and rights and concessions ( haq-haquqe ) were also accounted
for.
• Had this not been done, forests would have degraded due to excessive
grazing, lopping , felling etc. by people.
• Through reservations and scientific management , forest dept ensured
supply of timber, fuelwood and forest produce. It generated employment

4. CARBON FOOTPRINT
COMPARISON
BETWEEN
WOODEN CHAIR
AND CHAIR MADE OF PLASTIC
AND STEEL
• Raw material: Wood which is
perennially available and replenishable
if managed scientifically.
• Low on energy consumption
• It locks carbon for decades
• Not a bio-hazard
• Low carbon footprint
• Raw material: Iron ore, coal, petroleum
which are Non-replenishable
• Energy intensive
• Releases carbon locked in fossil fuels
into atmosphere
• Bio-hazard
• High Carbon footprint

5. HOW BIOMASS IS SELF SUSTAINABLE

6. WHY PETROLEUM IS NON SUSTAINABLE

7. • Hill people traditionally depended on trees for timber,
fuelwood and fodder.
• At the time of reservation of forest, traditional rights and
needs were considered and accordingly rights and
concessions ( Haq-Haqook ) were provided.
• Further, huge area of forest as “Civil Forest” was left to
villagers.
CHIPKO MOVEMENT:
IT WAS NOT AGAINST CUTTING TREES RATHER A STRUGGLE FOR SOCIO-
ECONOMIC RIGHTS OVER FOREST

8. HOWEVER , THERE WAS A SECTION WHICH WANTED GREATER ‘SAY’ OF
LOCALS IN MANAGEMENT OF FORESTS:
1. A legitimate share in the economic outputs of the
forest dept through employment and promotion of
wood based industries and resin industries in hills to
prevent drain of wealth from hills.
2. Highlighted the irregularities and corruption in
forest dept felling operations
• Historically too, there had been agitations against
forest dept during British Raj times.

9. • In Kumaun, the 1916 agitation, which began as a
general strike against Utar ( forced labour ) and then
became a systematic compaign against reservation of
forests in which Chir forests were burnt down all over
Kumaon, especially in Almora , led to formation of
Kumaon Forest Grievance Committee in 1921.
• In Garhwal region, on May 30, 1930, a massive
satyagraha was held at Tilari against the forestry
policies of Tehri Garhwal state, which were similar to
those introduced by the British in the rest of
Uttarakhand

10. Dasholi Gram Swarajya Mandal (DGSM) was formed in
1964 by Chandi Prasad Bhatt in Gopeshwar.
-Anti-liquor compaign
-Construction of roads through Shram dan
-Setting up of Resin factory
-Setting up of a Saw mill
However, DGSM attempts at cottage industry scale
development ended disastrously in the face of
competition from established firms and the forest
department preference to supply forest raw material to
outside industrialists.

11. First incident of prevention of felling of trees
- In 1971, demand to include Ash ( Mohin ) trees in Haq-Haqook was
rejected by DFO Nainital on the pretext that Ash trees earned
foreign currency and could not be wasted for making farm
implements
- In 1972, DGSM put in a request to the DFO’s office for two Ash
trees for its carpentry unit. This request was turned down.
- Meanwhile, Symonds company was given permission to fell 14 Ash
trees in the Pangarbasa forest, which was part of Mandal village.
SYMONDS CASE

12. Symonds gives the job of felling trees to its sub-contractor Jagdish
Prasad Nautiyal, a resident of Mussorie.
-Subedar Bachan Singh of Mandal village who was also contractor
for Symonds organised a meeting of local leaders on 18th March ,
1973 and threatened that felling will not be allowed if outside
labourers come. Bhatt was not present in this meeting.
- Another meeting on same issue in Gopeshwar on 1st April, 1973
attended by more than 30 gram pradhans of Dasholi block.
- Direct Action Day- 24th April 1973, Nautiyal had to return empty
handed.
SYMONDS CASE

13. On 2nd May 1973, there was huge gathering in Gopeshwar and
following 5 demands were put;
1. Forest contractor system should be abolished and forest
labour cooperatives be setup.
2. Haq-Haqooks be re-assessed and re-established
3. Export of raw produce from the hills be banned and
villagers provided technical training to establish small forest
based industries.
4. Reforestation be carried out on a war footing.
5. Forest dwellers themselves be involved in managing and
protecting their forests
DEMANDS OF CHIPKO ACTIVISTS IN INITIAL STAGE

14. Late Sundarlal Bahuguna emerges as a leader of Chipko
movement after 1975-76.
On April 4, 1977, he performed a ceremony to worship the
axe, the major instrument of survival of the forest labourer.
After Bahuguna met British forester Richard St. Barbe Baker in
1977, he became an ardent conservationist and in April 1981;
He went on an indefinite fast in support of his demand for a
total ban on felling in the Himalaya above 1,000 m.

15. Indira Gandhi, who was prime minister then, set up an
eight-member expert committee to look into the matter.
Although the committee exonerated the forest department
and its sustained yield forestry policy, the government
instituted a 15-year moratorium on commercial felling in
the Uttarakhand Himalaya.

16. The 5 demands of Late Sundarlal Bahuguna in 1984:
1. Ban on felling of trees for commercial purpose in hills
above Shivaliks for 15 years.
2. Chirpines forests are in danger due to excessive tapping.
This should be given rest.
3. Policy of planting soil builders and trees with greater
capacity to conserve water be planted instead of pines.
4. Meeting local peoples demands from dead, dying and
dried trees.
5. U.P. forest croporation is selling dead, dying and dried
trees outside hill areas creating scarcity for local people.
DEMANDS OF CHIPKO ACTIVISTS IN LATER STAGE

17. -FCA 1980 which delayed developmental works in hill areas.
UKD in 1988-89 launched Pedh Kato Andolan in 111 places
in which trees on farest land were cut by people.
-Blanket ban on green fellings above 1000mts
-Negatively impacted Haq-haqooks
-Shortage of quality timber in hill areas lead to import of
timber in hills from plains
-End of wood-based cottage industries in hill areas.
-Negatively impacted felling operations all across the country
leading to massive shortfall of timber and paper pulp.
Currently 50% of timber demand of country is being fulfilled
through imports.
LONG TERM SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF CHIPKO:

18. Socio-economic importance of Chir:
- Most important Timber supplier of hills
- Firewood/fuelwood supplier of hills
- Resin (Leesa) tapping and associated industries provide
employment to thousands of people.
- Pirul used as bedding material in cowsheds and in preparation of
organic manure
- Chilka-gulia (torchwood)
- Chir seeds are edible and highly nutritious
- Chir seed oil has immense medicinal use
- The air of Chir forests is cleaner and healthier
CHIR PINE:
LIFELINE OF HILLS WHOSE ROLE IN CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION STILL
REMAINS UNRECOGNIZED

19. However , Chir pine as of now is highly disliked
and grossly misunderstood.
It is widely perceived that Chir pine is responsible
for water scarcity in hills though there is little
scientific literature suppoirting this view.

20. WATER SCARCITY IN HILLS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM
SINCE AGES…
----Para 10, page 7, Working plan ( 1920-21 to 1931-32)
of Central Almora Forest Division

21. -A hardy drought resistant species suitable for
plantation even on rocky water deficient patches. Hence,
it can be used as a succession species.
-Fastest amongst all trees in hills in matter of biomass
accumulation, hence can be a good tool for carbon
sequestration.
However, blanket ban on green fellings in hills has
meant that Chir pine trees can’t be harvested and its
socio-economic and ecological significance canit be
fully realised.
ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF CHIR PINE:

22. THANK
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