Question

Chipko movement was launched for the protection of
A. Grasslands
B. Forests
C. Livestock
D. Wetlands

Answer 1

Hint: The Chipko movement originated from the word ‘embrace’ (chipko in Hindi) as the villagers hugged the trees and thus the wood cutters were not allowed to cut the trees.

Complete answer:
Chipko movement also known as Chipko andolan was a nonviolent social and ecological movement launched first in Uttar Pradesh (later Uttarakhand) in 1973.This movement was started to prevent the cutting of trees. Chipko movement aimed at protecting trees and forests from being destroyed.

The original chipko movement began in the 18th century in Rajasthan where a large group of people led by a woman called “Amrita Devi''sacrificed their lives to protect the trees from being felled on the orders of the King. The most famous Chipko movement of 1973 began when the forest department refused the villagers to use the trees for making agricultural equipment and allotted the same to a sporting goods manufacturer. This provoked the villagers and under the leadership of an environmentalist called Chandi Prasad Bhatt, women of that area formed a circle around the trees and prevented the contractors from cutting them down.

The movement achieved a victory when the Government issued a ban on cutting the trees. Followed by this victory, protests similar to this occurred in different parts of the country. An eco activist, Sunderlal Bahuguna educated the villagers to protest against the destruction of trees and forests for commercial uses. A major one of these protests happened in 1974 near the village of Reni where a group of women led by Gaura Devi refused to cut down 2000 trees. The Chipko movement’s major victory came in 1980, when Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi issued a 15 year ban on tree felling in the Himalayan forests of the state.

Hence the correct answer is option ‘B’ i.e, Forest.

Note: Sunderlal Bahuguna coined the famous chipko slogan: Ecology is a permanent economy. The Chipko movement was based on Gandhi's non-violence policy. People protested in a peaceful manner to save their environment.