Latest news with #Chipko
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
UP to fell 1,400 trees in Pilibhit; Environmentalists threaten Chipko-like protest
Environmental activists have decried the plan as unnecessary and illogical, warning of a revived 'Chipko' movement to prevent the felling. PILIBHIT: In a move sparking public outrage, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is set to axe around 1,400 mature green trees — many over 50 years old — lining an 8-km stretch of the Bhind–Lipulekh highway that cuts through Pilibhit city. The decision comes despite the existence of a functional bypass road built to NH standards, which provides seamless connectivity and could have spared the trees. Environmental activists have decried the plan as unnecessary and illogical, warning of a revived 'Chipko' movement to prevent the felling. The trees in question are now at the heart of an emerging civil resistance. Environmentalist and lawyer Shivam Kashyap has written to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), urging it to halt the plan and review the project's necessity. The Supreme Court Registrar has acknowledged his concerns and has reportedly agreed to treat the matter as a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). Following Kashyap's appeal, several NGOs — including the Mumbai-based Earth Brigade Foundation, Lucknow's Avian Society, Pilibhit's Wildlife Biodiversity Conservation Society, and Save Environment Society — have pledged non-violent resistance, invoking Sundar Lal Bahuguna's Chipko movement. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch xu hướng AUD/USD? IC Markets Undo The highway project, which spans approximately 840 km across Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Nepal, includes a 183.38-km section from Bewar to Pilibhit in its first phase, beginning from Mainpuri. In March this year, PWD executive engineer Shashank Bhargav directed the divisional forest officer (DFO) of Pilibhit, Bharat Kumar D, to mark roadside trees in a 12-metre-wide area on both sides of the road between chainage 79.350 and 107 of the Pilibhit-Majhola section. The DFO, without reviewing the necessity of cutting down the trees, forwarded the order to sub-divisional forest officer Anajani Kumar Shrivastav, who subsequently marked around 1,400 trees for removal. When asked by TOI why the trees needed to be axed despite the presence of a bypass road that could accommodate traffic flow, Bhargav responded, 'How can we leave the city centre from widening?' DM Gyanendra Singh said he would consult senior MoRTH officials to explore alternatives that could protect the trees.
Scroll.in
05-06-2025
- General
- Scroll.in
Ramachandra Guha interview: Is environmentalism in India an import from the West?
Environmentalism, historian and columnist Ramachandra Guha has written, is thought to be a 'full-stomach phenomenon' – it's believed to be a Western concern because people in countries like India are simply too poor to be green. That's a myth that he conclusively blows apart in his latest book, Speaking With Nature: The Origins of Indian Environmentalism. The book is an exploration of the explores the work of ten individuals who – though not all of them Indian – have warned about the dangers of environmental degradation from an Indian point of view. With Speaking With Nature, Guha returns to his roots. His first book, The Unquiet Woods, was about Chipko movement to conserve forests in Uttarakhand. And several other of his early works concerned the environment. They include This Fissured Land and Ecology and Equity, both co-authored with Madhav Gadgil and How Much Should a Person Consume?: Thinking Through the Environment. In this interview with Scroll editor Naresh Fernandes on World Environment Day, he explains why India would be an environmental disaster zone even if the crisis of climate change did not exist and elaborates on the role of the ten figures in his book who 'played a pioneering role in shaping global conversations about humanity's relationship with nature'.
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
‘We have commodified nature & are now paying the price'
Panduranga Hegde, environmentalist and pioneer of the Appiko movement, speaks with TOI about the changing face of activism, political apathy, and why hope lies in the quiet strength of grassroots movements. He is the recipient of the inaugural MP Veerendra Kumar Memorial National Thought Leadership Award Gone are the days when environmental activism unfolded through mass movements in forests, rivers, or hills. But environmentalist and writer Panduranga Hegde—founder of the Appiko movement in the Western Ghats—believes a quieter, more diverse kind of activism is now taking root. While movements like Chipko, Silent Valley, Narmada, and Appiko may no longer repeat themselves in the same form, Hegde says the spirit of resistance hasn't faded. Instead, it's evolving. A new kind of movement is emerging—scattered but growing. Though it may not always be visible, people are making lifestyle shifts, adopting ecological farming, reviving rivers, protecting seeds, and building urban forests. The methods are different, but the intent remains powerful. Hegde's journey began in the 1980s, inspired by Sunderlal Bahuguna's Chipko movement and the legacy of Amrita Devi Bishnoi. Bahuguna's dedication, he says, shaped the path he has followed for over four decades. Through the Appiko movement, Hegde led protests to save trees in Karnataka's Western Ghats, motivating locals to embrace the symbolic act of hugging trees to stop deforestation. He sees immense potential in today's generation. Young people are strong in their convictions, he says, and many are choosing green lifestyles over consumerist ones. Some are quitting corporate jobs to return to the land, while others are working with schoolchildren to instill ecological values early. These small streams of effort, Hegde believes, will eventually merge into a powerful collective force. In 2009, Hegde was instrumental in drafting the Western Ghats Manifesto, urging Lok Sabha candidates to adopt policies protecting the fragile ecosystem. Despite this effort, he remains deeply sceptical of the political class. Across Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, he sees no real ideological difference when it comes to the environment. 'All parties are interested in making money,' he says bluntly. This, he says, is what distinguishes today's leaders from those of the past. Recalling Indira Gandhi's decision to stop the Silent Valley project in the 1980s, he contrasts her environmental sensitivity with that of her grandchildren, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi. Their activities in Wayanad, he believes, prioritize political gain over ecological responsibility. Among his more recent campaigns is the push to maintain the night traffic ban in Bandipur Tiger Reserve. Karnataka has enforced the 10-hour night ban to protect wildlife movement, but Kerala has pushed for it to be lifted. Hegde is baffled by the resistance. 'Why can't we let animals cross the road in their own habitat for just a few hours?' he asks. The issue, for him, is symptomatic of a larger problem—our increasing alienation from nature. To Hegde, true development cannot come at the cost of basic natural resources. 'Any activity that disturbs soil, water, and air is not development,' he says. He is especially critical of ongoing infrastructure projects in the Western Ghats and Himalayan regions, from superhighways to tourism resorts. These, he argues, represent the commodification of nature by the elite and are already yielding disastrous results—landslides, flooding, and worsening climate extremes. This disconnect from nature is reflected in rising human-wildlife conflict, too. Hegde notes that communities living near forests once coexisted peacefully with wildlife. But in densely populated areas, like parts of Kerala where forest encroachment has occurred, tensions have grown. 'We are seeing this in some parts of Karnataka too. But it is more in regions where the population is very high.' By contrast, areas like the Anshi Tiger Reserve near the Goa border still see more harmonious living. Recognition for his work came recently when he was named the inaugural recipient of the MP Veerendra Kumar Memorial National Thought Leadership Award. Chosen by a jury including Jairam Ramesh, Prof. MK Sanu, and Vandana Shiva, the award honours Hegde's lifetime contributions to environmentalism, literature, politics, and human rights. It carries a citation, plaque, and a cash prize of ₹5 lakh, and will be presented on May 28. He also warns of lesser-known consequences of climate change—like the disruption of pollination. Changes in flowering patterns and weather cycles can destabilize ecosystems, leading to species extinction or transformation, with severe implications for agriculture and food security. For environmental protection to be effective, Hegde argues, India needs vigilant, science-backed 'watchdog' forums. The steady dilution of forest and environmental laws by the Centre—and the states—needs to be called out with legal and scientific clarity. Civil society, he believes, must play that role. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
The Print
11-05-2025
- General
- The Print
Ethical Bird Watching Conclave organised in Uttarakhand's Chamoli
Gopeshwar, May 11 (PTI) A one-day Ethical Bird Watching Conclave was organised in the Mandal Valley, a hotspot of birds and the birthplace of the Chipko movement, in ttarakhand's Chamoli on the occasion of Himalayan Bird Count Day. Selected school students, bird watchers, bird-watching guides, environmental activists and forest officials participated in the conclave organised in Gharsari adjoining the Kedarnath Musk Deer Sanctuary.
Time of India
07-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
BD Dhuliya award to scribe Ramesh Pahadi
Veteran journalist and social activist Ramesh Pahadi was honoured with Pandit Bhairav Dutt Dhuliya Patrakar Puraskar 2025 for contribution to journalism and public service in Uttarakhand. The award is given by Karmbhoomi Foundation in memory of freedom fighter and editor Pandit Bhairav Dutt was chosen for highlighting ecological and socio-economic issues across the state since 1968, said Himanshu Dhulia, secretary of the founder-editor of Aniket, which he led from 1977 to 2017 Pahadi played a pivotal role in Chipko movement . The award ceremony will take place on May 18 at Kotdwar. tnn
