Write a short note on Chipko Movement.

Explanation

(i)The Chipko movement or Chipko Andolan was a forest conservation movement. The name of the movement comes from the word .embrace., as the villagers hugged the trees, and prevented the contractors from felling them.
(ii) During the movement that dates back to 1730 AD, 363 people of Khejarli village of Rajasthan, sacrificed their lives to save Khejri trees.
(iii) A large group of them from 84 villages led by a lady called Amrita Devi laid down their lives in an effort to protect the trees. All over the world it created a precedent for starting of non-violent protest in India.
(iv) This inspired to slow down the rapid deforestation, expose vested interests, increase ecological awareness, and demonstrate the viability of people power.
(v) Above all, it stirred up the existing civil society in India, which began to address the issues of tribal and marginalized people. The success achieved by this protest led to similar protests in other parts of the country.
(vi) From their origins as a spontaneous protest against logging abuses in Uttar Pradesh in the Himalayas, supporters of the Chipko movement, mainly village women, have successfully banned the felling of trees in a number of regions and influenced natural resource policy in India. This became a turning point in the history of ecodevelopment.