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Sunderlal Bahuguna, who was the pioneer of the famous 'Chipko Movement', has
recently passed away, succumbing to Covid-19. Bahuguna has spent his life fighting
for the environment and educating villages to protest the destruction of forests in the
Himalayan region.
The Chipko Movement is an important movement in conserving the local forest. This
topic is important for competitive exams such as UPSC, MPSC, UPPCS, and other
State exams for Prelim as well as the Main exam.
Chipko Movement
What is the Chipko movement?
• Chipko movement is also regarded as Chipko Andolan. It is a forest
conservation movement in India. Began in 1973, it was a non-violent protest
against the felling of trees in Uttar Pradesh's Chamoli district (presently in
Uttarakhand).
• The name of the movement 'Chipko' was derived from villagers hugging trees
to prevent them from being cut.
• The name was derived from villagers hugging trees in order to prevent them
from being cut.

Contribution of Sunderlal Bahuguna

• Sunderlal Bahuguna, a Gandhian activist, has been remarkable. Bahuguna is
known for giving the movement a proper direction.
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• It has received worldwide recognition for its non-violent aspects of saving

trees. The movement inspired in time many similar eco-groups by helping to
slow down the rapid deforestation.
• The movement also exposed vested interests, increased social awareness and
the need to save trees, increased ecological awareness, and demonstrated the
viability of people's power.
• Bahuguna used the slogan, "Ecology is the permanent economy."
Highlights of Chipko Movement
• Chipko Movement practiced the methods of Satyagraha.
• Both man and woman activists residing in Uttarakhand played a vital role in
conserving forests.
• The salient aspect of the movement was the mass participation of female
villagers.
• Although many of its leaders were men, women were not only its backbone
but also its mainstay because they were the ones most affected by the rampant
deforestation.
• Over the years, they also became primary stakeholders in a majority of the
afforestation work that happened under the Chipko movement.
Six principles of Chipko Movement
• The Chipko Volunteers believed that in particular geographical situations,
only specific trees and vegetation should be grown, so that appropriate needs
for fertilizer, soil, water, and energy can be met.
• The activists demanded that the areas affected by landslides and soil erosion,
or where forests are crucial for the conservation of water resources, should be
identified and reserved.
• The local forest dwellers and people residing and depending on the forest
produce for their livelihood should be given rights and be given easy access to
them.
• The contractor system should be completely stopped in forest conservation,
development, and exploitation. Instead, people living in these areas should be
organized and be guided for community participation.
• Local village industries should be set up, based on minor forest produce, to
enable the local population to find jobs and to reduce migration from villages.
Recognition of Chipko Movement
• The Chipko Movement became famous for its work to prevent the destruction
of forests and has been active throughout the 1970s and 80s.
• In 1987, the Chipko movement was awarded the Right Livelihood Award "for
its dedication to the conservation, restoration, and ecologically sound use of
India's natural resources.
• The movement helped recognize the importance of forests. At least one-third
of the area in the country should normally be under the forest; only then can
environmental problems be solved.
• As per the stats, in India, forests do not cover even half of the area; even the
remaining forest area is declining rapidly because of urbanization and
industrialization.
Sunderlal Bahuguna has also been associated with movements - Tehri Dam
Movement in Uttarakhand and Narmada Bachao Andolan across Gujarat, Madhya
Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
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Major Environmental Movements in India

Year Movement Led by Place
1730 Bishnoi Amrita Devi Khejarli, Marwar,
Movement region in Rajasthan
1973 Chipko Sunderlal Bahuguna and Chamoli,
Movement Chandi Prasad Bhatt Uttarakhand
1978 Silent Valley Kerala Sastra Sahitya Kantipuza river in
Project Parishad Sugathakumari Kerala.
Note: In 1985, it was
called off and the then
Prime Minister Rajiv
Gandhi inaugurated Silent
Valley National Park.
1982 Jangal Bachao Tribals of Singhbhum Singhbhum, Bihar
Andolan
1983 Appiko Lakshmi Narsimha Yuvak Karnataka
Movement Mandali Pandering Hgde
1980s-1990s Tehri Dam Tehri Bandh Virodhi Bhagirathi and
Movement Sangarshan Committee, Bhilangama rivers
Sunderlal Bahuguna and at Tehri in
Veera Dutt Saklani Uttarakhand
1980s to Narmada Bachao Medha Patkar, Arundhati Gujarat, Madhya
present Andolan Roy, Sunderlal Bahuguna, Pradesh and
Baba Amte Maharashtra
Note: total 33 dams,
2 main are Sardar
Sarovar Dam and
Indira Sagar Project

Some recent Environmental Movements in India

Year Movement Led by Place
2019 Climate Action Greta Thunburg, Students in metro
Strike Bittu KR cities in Delhi,
Mumbai,
Bengaluru, Kolkata
and Chennai
2019 Right to Breathe Leonardo De Caprio India Gate, New
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Protest Delhi
2020 Save Dehing- All India Assam Tinsukia, Assam
Patkai Student Union
(AASU) and All
Assam matak Youth
Students’ Union
2019-20 Save Aarey Online campaign Sunderbans are
#SavetheSunderbans largest mangrove
forests in the
world, located in
the delta region of
ganga and
Brahmaputra
rivers.

How Himalayan region benefitted from the Chipko Movement?

• The Himalayan region is characterized by the high mountains and valleys,
with different types of vegetation, flowers, pastures, and glaciers.
• This is one of the most beautiful areas in the world.
• It keeps the atmospheric circulation in balance over a large part of the Indian
subcontinent.
• Rivers in this region are born out of glaciers; prominent ones in India are
Ganga-Yamuna and their tributaries such as Bhagirathi, Alaknanda, Sharda,
and others.
• As they pass through the forests and rainwater is gradually passed through
them, preventing soil erosion and hence protecting the food systems
depending on the forests.
Therefore, any disruption in the forest and ecological balance would grossly impact
the livelihood and sustenance of the local people. Various products such as firewood
and timber, grass, vegetables, honey, medicinal herbs, and fruits, etc.
Forests are central for maintaining a balance in the physical environment as
agriculture and animal husbandry are also dependent on forests. The ecological
balance and traditional human relations with forests are intertwined.
Forests are central for maintaining a balance in the physical environment as agriculture and
animal husbandry are also dependent on forests. The ecological balance and traditional
human relations with forests are intertwined.