Padmavibhushan environmentalist Sunderlal Bahuguna remembered on Intl. Environment Day virtually

Several socio political activists, professors, lawyers n educationists and those associated with peoples’ welfare n well being especially persuing public interest issues of environment protection, water conservation and afforestation etc always lauding the long term initiatives and efforts of Padmavibhushan n globally renowned environmentalist Sunderlal Bahuguna to oppose large dams, conserve water, protect environment n our rivers maintaining its smooth flow etc on Saturday evening paid their heartfelt richest tributes to him in an Webinar organised by Parvatiya Lok Vikas Samittee convenor Surya Prakash Semwal and pledged to follow his ideals, programmes and principles for which he dedicated his entire life.

Eminent environmentalist Sunderlal Bahuguna breathed his last on 22 st May 2021 in AIIMS Rishikesh after succumbing to Covid 19. A Padma Shri, Padma Vibhushan, prestigious international livelihood and Jamunalal Bajaj award recipient apart from several national and international recognitions for his unstinting efforts to protect the Himalayas, n environment, rivers and jungles n wage relentless struggle against large Dams n in particular giving global shape to the Chipko movement commenced by him, Gaura Devi n her colleagues, Chandi Prasad Bhatt, n others during the seventies and thus mobilising world opinion against deforestation etc.

An environment legend Sunderlal Bahuguna not only organised n conducted a 5000 kilometre journey on foot from Kashmir to Kohima mobilising people nationally against deforestation n pollution but also compelled the then prime minister to ban felling down of trees on Uttarakhand for 15 long years including sitting on 74 days hunger strike at Tehri to oppose construction of THDC Dam compelling the government to lower its height at the personal call of the then prime minister’s P. V. Narsimha Rao and HD Deve Gowda. Considering Sridev Suman as his true mentor who sacrificed his life after undertaking 84 days hunger strike in Tehri Jail Sunderlal Bahuguna also participated in freedom movement n against the movement to oppose the then Tehri Rajshahi. He formed Thakkar Baba Hostel for Dalit students and waged protests n movement against the inequality of Dalits by the forward castes.

A Gandhian by actions n beliefs throughout his life, Sunderlal Bahuguna undertook several days of hunger strike protesting against prevalence of liquor sale in Uttarakhand finally pressurising the then government to ban liquor sale during seventies. A true Sarvodayi leader and an eminent environmentalist Sunder Lal Bahuguna was jailed for several months during the freedom movement and afterwords in various social movements including while struggling against the tyrranical rule of the Tehri King. The meeting organised on Saturday on International environment day was addressed by several socio political activists, professors, educationists and NGO activists etc. Prominent amongst those who participated in this Webinar to pay their respectful tributes to Padmavibhushan Sunderlal Bahuguna to commemorate the International Environment Day unanimously pledged to follow his ideals, principles, n programmes to protect forests, environment, rivers etc and bring out a journal/ book/ souvenir on his ideology, programmes, policies on environment protection including on his interviews n articles on the subject. Those who participated in this hour long webinar seminar were : Dr. Surya Prakash Semwal, founder of Parvatiya Lok Vikas Samittee n writer, editor of Him Uttarayini, Parthasarthi Thapliyal, thinker, writer, professor of Delhi University Geography division Dr. Virendra Singh Negi, Professor Navin Chandra Lohani, Meerut University, Professor Harendra Aswal, Delhi University, Professor Girish Chandra Pant of Jamia Milia Islamia University, ( Sanskrit Department) Save Himalaya campaign leader Vinod Nautiyal, General Secretary of Garhwal Hiteshini Sabha n educationist Dr.Pawan Maithani, Social activist and IT expert Anil Uniyal, Social activist Ansuiya Prasad Uniyal, writer Hem Chandra Saklani, social activist Ram Prasad Painuli, journalist Sandeep Banakhwal, environmentalist Ramesh Mumukshuji, Vandana Reddy of Shambhavi, Sankrit intellectual Ramesh Bhatt, Ramesh Kumar and senior journalist and president of Uttarakhand Journalists Forum Sunil Negi.

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