Chipko Movement: Google marks 45th anniversary of the forest conservation initiative
Chipko Movement: Google marks 45th anniversary of the forest conservation initiative
Share:

NEW DELHI: Today's Google-Doodle marks the 45th anniversary of the forest conservation initiative called the Chipko Movement.

The intellectual objective of the Chipko Movement was to draw attention to prevent deforestation, which had commenced to occur on a mass scale to make way for dams or industry or roads. The movement kicked off in 1973 in Uttar Pradesh and was an initiative of Sunderlal Bahuguna, a far-famed environmentalist.

The word 'Chipko' is Hindi, which means 'to stick to' and the way people expressed commonality with the movement was by surrounding trees and linking their hands together around it, to physically prevent trees being cut-down.

In Today's 'Google Doodle' a group of women standing around a tree in a forest. It also shows their hands linked together, under the light of the moon. In fact, the whole movement was taken forward by women participants, who became a driving force in training people on the harmful effects of deforestation.

The 1973 movement was inspired by a similar movement in 1730 AD in Rajasthan, says Google's write-up about the importance of the event.

Google says, "The Chipko Andolan also stands out as an eco-feminist movement. Women formed the nucleus of the movement, as the group most directly affected by the lack of firewood and drinking water caused by deforestation."

 Some of the prominent figures of the movement were Dhoom Singh Negi, Bachni Devi, Gaura Devi and Sudesha Devi.

During the 18th century movement, as many as 363 people are said to have sacrificed their lives to preserve 'khejri' trees.

Join NewsTrack Whatsapp group
Related News