50 years of #Chipko (March 26, 1974 – March 26, 2024)
Anoop Nautiyal
26 March marked 50 years since Gaura Devi of Reni village in Chamoli district in #Uttarakhand & her fearless companions stared down the barrel of a gun, refusing to allow the contractors men & employees of forest dept to butcher the forest they called home. Gaura, along with 20 women & seven girls present with her on March the 26th, 1974 told the drunk forest guard that she would face bullets before any harm be done to the ecosystem that was crucial to their sustenance.
Gaura, with the Rishi Ganga river flowing below her & Nanda Devi looming large beyond that, told the men not to cut their forest saying that it was their maika (maternal home). They claimed that cutting of the trees would cause their village to flood, as the forest served as a natural blockade for surrounding rivers. The act of ‘hugging trees’ was becoming common in nearby villages, yet it was this moment of defiance that catapulted ‘Chipko’ movement to a national & eventually, international stage.
Renowned social activist and environmentalist Chandi Prasad Bhatt along with others made his way to Reni upon hearing the news. The ensuing national attention made it virtually impossible for those looking to profit from destruction of the forest. It is a testament to the power of non-violent & community-centric endeavors, & goes to show that more often than not, taking a stand against what is wrong is more than half the battle.
Today, it remains the most prominent forest conservation movement to have emerged from our state of Uttarakhand & its prevalence continues to ring loud & clear. Although Reni’s name is one that can never be forgotten because of the resounding impact that the Chipko movement had, what most people don’t know is that Reni today is almost inhabitable. This is because of multiple floods the area has faced over the past few years, with geologists suggesting that the residents should relocate.
What makes this predicament unfortunate is that the damage done to Reni & countless villages in Uttarakhand has occurred due to man-made natural disasters. Deforestation, building of massive roads & hydro projects have left the mountains gasping for air. Will we need to wait for the next Gaura Devi before we realize that the same things that applied in 1974 apply today? We must protect our jal, jungle and jameen (forests, land and water) and learn to live in harmony within the ecosystem we are so lucky to be a part of.
Finally, let’s take some inspiration from Gaura Devi’s efforts while accepting that holding onto nostalgic victories alone will not solve the massive challenges we face today. With the climate crisis exacerbating matters, it’s in many ways a herculean challenge to humanity & all else that’s a part of the fragile ecosystem. Yet, let us celebrate the fearless courage of the women of Reni & try invoking a bit of Gaura in our own selves. Perhaps that would be the most apt remembrance on the 50th anniversary of the Chipko movement of Uttarakhand!
