Raksha Sutra bandhan protest executed at Bhainrav Ghati, Uttarkashi by activists of “Himalayas Hai to Hum hain” guided by Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi to protest against the likely felling of 6500 CEDAR TREES
Several activists of a social environmental organisation namely HIMALAY HAIN TO HUM HAIN including RSS activists and environmental activist Dr. Dhyani alongwith local women though not in large numbers, today silently protested twelve kilometres before the Gangotri at serene valley known as Bhairanv Ghati where came the huge floods killing nine army men against the possible felling of 6.5 thousand cedar ( Devdar trees ) and tied Raksha Sutra ( red pious spiritual thread) around the stems of several trees reminding us of the 1974 chipko movement mobilizing people and spreading a message of awakening and awareness in the society to come forward and cumulatively save the lungs of nature at all costs come what may.
According to sources the main source of inspiration behind this peaceful protest is the BJP Margdarshak Mandal senior most member and former union minister Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi who had already taken the cudgels of this movement into his hands alongwith Dr. Karan Singh and several other environmentalists and experts against the Bhairanv Ghati project of all weather roads which has proved to be a huge disaster for the Uttarakhand and its ecology after the All Weather Road project calls for cutting of more than six thousand fully grown up CEDAR TREES at Bhainrav Ghati for widening of the roads etc.
Though age factor restricts the senior BJP leader to be in the midst of the protestors but he is very much connected with those at the field of protest through social media guiding and inspiring them.
What is interesting to note here is several of the RSS activists from outside Uttarakhand are also participating in this protest to tie Raksha Sutra on few of the trees to be felled by the NHAI authorities concerned numbering 6.500 as a symbolic gesture reminiscent of the 1974 Chipko movement led by the then courageous woman Gaura Devi who clunged to trees and saved thousands of trees from becoming prey to the axe of the contractors.
It may be recalled that according to Mr. Dhyani,environmental expert who himself is the participant in this protest has along with the noted and leading scientist and environmental expert Dr. Juyal had already inspected this entire belt and submitted a DPR urging the givernment to built parallel road at higher altitudes and not near valley and instead of cutting trees making little roads than much wider roads to save the trees. But of no avail as the things have come to square one and the threat of axe still exists on 7.500 fully grown trees of Bhainrav Ghati which if cutted may prove to be a huge disaster in the future.
