Announcement of the start of Chipko Movement 2.0 in Uttarakhand, environmentalists gave ultimatum to the government
The Chipko movement has been announced to start once again in the mountains of Uttarakhand. The spark of the Chipko movement that had flared up in the mountains 50 years ago is on the verge of flaring up again today. Environmentalists are continuously protesting against the cutting of 3300 trees in the name of widening the Bhaniyawala-Rishikesh road.
Tied a protective thread to the trees and pledged to protect them
Last Sunday also, a large number of environmentalists came out on the streets. During this, they tied a protective thread to the trees and pledged to protect them. Actually, 3300 trees are to be cut under the 21 km long road widening project between Rishikesh and Bhaniyawala. Environmentalists say that environmental damage is being ignored in this project worth Rs. 600 crores. The work of pruning these trees has also started, but the local people have now united against it.
According to environmentalists, environmental imbalance is increasing rapidly in Dehradun and its surrounding areas. Glaciers have started melting due to rising temperatures, groundwater level is continuously falling in the mountains and deteriorating air quality is having a serious impact on the health and lives of the people. But ignoring all these things, development projects are being implemented without any long term environmental planning.
People have taken to the streets earlier also to save trees
It is worth noting that this is not the first time that the people of Uttarakhand have taken to the streets to save the forests. Five years ago in 2020, when there was a plan to sacrifice 243 hectares of forests for the expansion of Dehradun airport, even then the public had protested fiercely and due to the intervention of the court, this project was shelved.
But now once again a movement has started in the state to save the forests
People are continuously opposing the road widening between Rishikesh-Bhaniawala. Along with tying protective threads to the trees, the protesters have also announced that if needed, the spark of Chipko Movement 2.0 will flare up once again in the mountains. This movement, which started from Raini village of Uttarakhand in 1973, gave the message of environmental protection to the whole country.
A movement has happened in Uttarakhand before as well
Under the leadership of Sunderlal Bahuguna and Gaura Devi, women had saved their forests by clinging to the trees. After which there were major changes in India regarding forest conservation and today again history is repeating itself. But the question is whether this protest will be taken seriously and the definition of development will be coined anew or our green forests will be destroyed only in the name of paper development.
