Chipko: Poor's Green Fight for Social Justice

Historian Ramachandra Guha recently emphasized that India's Chipko movement exemplified an "environmentalism of the poor," underscoring the vital connection between sustainability and social justice. He spoke at an event in Bengaluru on September 19, tracing Indian environmentalism's history.

Guha noted that unlike Western environmentalism, which followed economic development, India's movement began at the grassroots. The Chipko movement, involving rural communities, highlighted how forest resources like oak were essential for their livelihoods, contrasting with the British colonial and post-independence focus on economically valuable pine.

Women were pivotal, notably in a 1974 incident in Gopeshwar where they physically stopped loggers. This activism paralleled Rachel Carson's impact in the US, leading to environmental protection committees and new legislation in India. The Department of Environment was established in 1980, evolving into the current Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

He also acknowledged the press's role in raising awareness, citing coverage of the Bhopal gas tragedy and Western Ghats degradation. Guha observed that environmental momentum slowed during the 1990s liberalization, as relaxed controls initially exacerbated environmental issues.