Some of you may be able to connect the above title to the ‘Chipko Movement’ of environment protection. Some people labeled it simply a movement by villagers to protect their livelihood. But if we go a little back we will easily be able to google a heart touching story of Amrita Devi from Rajasthan, under whose leadership villagers risked their lives to protect the trees. We will also come across an incidence where 363 people of Bishnoi samaj of Rajasthan, sacrificed their lives to protect the khejri trees that were supposed to be cut for building the palace of a local ruler. We can also read about Guru Jambheshwar a saint, who preached the people for protection of the environment.
Who can forget the black buck case of Bollywood celebrity Salman Khan and others, where a particular community of Rajasthan is not leaving any stone unturned to fight the case against money power that these celebrities are pushing to let the things get resolved in their favour. In my zone, some ladies have started a movement to treat the trees as their brothers and on the famous festival of ‘Raksha-Bandhan’, these women tie ‘Rakhis’ to trees, and pray to them to keep protecting them and the environment around, the way trees have been doing for years and years. We have many hot and live examples of many people around who go to any extent to take actions to protect and preserve the environment. But sadly so, a larger chunk is still not awakened. People damn care about the usage of polythene bags, plastic water bottles etc. in their day to day lives.
It is not any more an issue of making choices. It is an issue of extreme urgency, across the globe. I as an individual can contribute a lot. May be not by just preaching others, the way I am doing right now, may be by setting examples beyond the eyes of TV cameras and news reporters. So friends! Please find a tree nearby to start your own ‘Chipko’. Rainy season is here, plant at least ten trees this year and take a vow to protect them. If you want to really know more about this ‘Chipko movement’, you may read the biographies of ‘Ramon Magsaysay Award’ winner Chandi Prasad Bhatt and ‘Padma Vibhushan’ Sundarlal Bahuguna.
Dr Sunil G Garg
Dr. Sunil Ji Garg
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