Saving Himalayan Forests in Tehri Garhwal

Bharat Dogra

One of the most inspiring efforts that this writer has covered in nearly five decades of development journalism is that of the saving of Himalayan forests in TehriGarhwal district approximately during the period of 1977-80.

 At the time of visiting TehriGarhwal district for the first time, several actions of the Chipko movement in other parts of Uttarakhand (which was then a part of UP state) had already made news, but these had emphasised more the aspects of local forest rights and village-level, small-scale, forest product based units. It was in the nearly a dozen actions to save forests in TehriGarhwal district that the ecological aspects got most emphasised.

While these efforts ultimately succeeded in saving Himalayan forests over a vast area from commercial exploitation (however large-scale felling of trees for various development projects continued), these efforts are also important for contributing to the emergence of several new social movements in this as well as other regions.

The core group of activists here were those inspired by Mahatma Gandhi to follow the path of non-violent struggles, the most senior being SunderlalBahuguna and VimlaBahuguna, very ably supported by highly dedicated activists like KunwarPrasun, Dhum Singh Negi, Vijay Jardhari and PratapShikhar. Several village women like Sudesha Devi, Bachni Devi and Saumpa Devi emerged in important activist roles in the course of these movements and chipko actions with their courage and determination to protect forests even in very adverse conditions (which also involved going to jail). The great folk poet and activist GhanshyamSailani who was present at several movement sites and above all the great disciple of Mahatma Gandhi Sarla Behan who was like a mentor for leading activists.

These activists had a worldview based on combining ecological and justice concerns. Some of them, particularly KunwarPrasun, were very firmly committed to rights of oppressed communities like Dalits. Chipko activists maintained good relations with forest workers and also took up the cause of their rights and welfare.

While chipko actions in TehriGarhwal district took place in several places, Henvalghati (valley of Henval river), on Rishikesh–Chamba road, particularly its nearer villages like Jajal and Nagni, became a hub, while in the higher and more interior areas Badiyargad was another hub. Around 1977 some contractors here had resorted to excessive extraction of resin from chir pine trees and due to this the trees had been weakened. Chipko activists drew attention to this, organised protests and also symbolically applied mud on tree wounds to protect them. On investigation these complaints were found to be correct and some remedial actions were also taken.

However the bigger challenge was that of the forests being auctioned for commercial felling by contractors (and sometimes by the government’s own forest corporation). Activists and villagers asked the officials not to axe these trees, mostly located on steep slopes, due to the resulting high risk of landslides and floods, loss of water and soil conservation capabilities, as well as shortage of fodder and other essential needs for people. When officials did not agree and went ahead with auctions, people said that they’ll launch chipko movement to protect these trees. Officials and contractors responded with threats.

To mobilise villagers a leading activist Dhum Singh started a fast in a forest. Women responded by assuring him that they’ll do all they can to save trees. They then tied sacred protective threads on trees as a symbol of their resolve. At another spiritual gathering in Advani, villagers repeated this resolve and also said in daily life they’ll take all precautions not to harm trees in any way.

In Salet forest the contractors shrewdly gathered Kashmiri migrant workers to start felling of trees. Villagers took out a protest demonstration inside the forest and stopped it. Later villagers went back but two activists Dhum Singh Negi and Hukum Singh stayed behind. When later another attempt to axe trees was made, they could stop it by hugging trees. The Kashmiri workers were so impressed by the chipko movement that sacrificing their earnings, they moved away from the area.

When forest officials came to investigate why felling is being opposed, people greeted them with lanterns in daylight to symbolise their surprise that officials are unable to see the obvious need for stopping axing of trees.

In Advani forest villagers hugged trees to stop felling and took out demonstrations. When one villager sided with tree-fellers, his 13-year-old son Kunwar Singh went on a fast and did not eat food till his father agreed to protect trees. On 31 January, 1978 the PAC police entered the forest so that felling of trees could take place with its support, but villagers and activists kept shouting slogans to protect forests and when efforts to axe trees were made they quickly moved to hug trees. Women were very active in hugging trees, and sometimes children also went with them. This continued for over two hours. Finally the police and the contactor withdrew from the forests. The gathered people shouted, “The Himalaya has awakened today, the cruel axe has been chased away.”

Despite these successful protests, the officials again resorted to auctions of forests in early February, 1978 at a hall in Narendranagar. On 8 February villagers assembled here to protest, joined next morning by more women from Hanvalghati. Now when they entered the auction hall peacefully, the contractors ran away. At night the police arrested 23 of them, including 9 women. They were released only after 15 days, when the auction process was completed.

The next scene of tree-hugging to save 742 auctioned trees was in Amarsar forest, near Kangar village. In December 1978, Dhum Singh Negi, PratapShikhar and some students played an important role in protecting these trees from being axed, although the contractor managed to cut some trees. Later many villagers including women came in a big procession to stop tree felling.

Next, forests in Badiyargad belt, particularly Malgaddi appeared to be a big challenge as over 2000 trees had been marked here for felling by the forest corporation on its own. People were alert regarding saving forest here as in recent times landslides had caused huge damage in this area (which was caused by earlier tree-felling). Activists including KunwarPrasun and Vijay Jardhari went to many villages to mobilise people. In the last week of 1978, villagers took out processions in forests and announced their determination to save these trees.

Despite this, felling of trees started in the first week of 1979. Villagers stopped this on some occasions, but on the whole felling continued. As the consciousness to protect trees spread beyond Malgaddi to dozens of other hamlets of Badiyargad, activists like Rajeev Bahuguna started a new way of connecting to people by asking all families to donate one roti (home-baked bread) each for the cause of protecting trees, as activists in forests would survive on this.

On January 9, SunderlalBahuguna started a fast in a remote forest of Badiyargad to demand the stop of tree felling and also wider change of forest policy. In the early stage of the fast Sunderlal continued to rush and hug trees like other activists, but soon he became too weak for this. Meanwhile his wife Vimla too had come to the forest while daughter Madhuri had participated in hugging trees to save them.

It is an indication of the great moral strength of the movement that activists continued in the middle of intense struggles to maintain good relations with forest workers and later also helped them to realise their pending wage payments.

On 22 January Sunderlal was arrested. There were several protests against this. On January 31 the government finally announced a ban on the felling of green trees in Badiyargad and Amarsar. Sunderlal’s fast also ended after about 24 days, amidst assurances that the government will consider a wider ban on felling of green trees.

Later in 1979 there was a movement to save the forest of Laasi. Here too there was a fast by Sunderlal. The villagers formed a forest protection committee. The contractor made several attempts to cut trees but was chased away by the villagers. Trees could not be cut despite bringing in the police. Finally, before the end of the year the attempts to cut trees here were given up.

Around the same time there were successful efforts to save trees in Khuret village, which later led to wider efforts to end the water scarcity of this village.

A big danger appeared as plans to fell nearly 9000 trees were announced for Loital forest near Ranichauri. A campaign was launched to protect these trees in which Yogesh Bahuguna played an important role. Wisdom prevailed and these tree-felling plans were given up.

Meanwhile talks continued for wider policy steps. This was helped by the fact that the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, while she was in power, was very sympathetic to these demands and particularly to the efforts of SunderlalBahuguna. Finally, a wider moratorium on green felling of trees in Uttarakhand was announced by the government.

Some years after this, a new threat appeared in Henvalghati as the government announced that thousands of trees will be felled in Henvalghati for laying down the power lines from Tehri Dam Project. Once again people mobilised, with KunwarPrasun playing a leading role. A large number of trees could be saved, as the government agreed to significantly reduce the trees marked for felling.

These movements were also followed by efforts for regeneration and recovery of forests in degraded areas in Henvalghati, which had encouraging results.

These movements also created a support base for future work relating to opposition to Tehri dam project. After a stage, SunderlalBahuguna and VimlaBahuguna devoted their life mainly to this for several years.
Meanwhile Vijay Jardhari and KunwarPrasun became more active in Beej Bachao Andolan (save the seeds movement) dedicated to saving traditional diverse varieties of various crops.

Sunderlal organised Kashmir to Kohima foot march to take the message of the Chipko movement to the entire Himalayan region, also drawing in younger activists like Sahib Singh.

Pandurang Hegde, a gold medalist student from Delhi School of Social Work had come here during the movements. He learnt from here and started the appiko movement to save forests in Karnataka, achieving great success in saving the forests of the Western Ghats region.

Thus, while these movements were great in their own way, these also had a much wider impact.

However the tree felling for development projects continued to increase in Uttarakhand or in Karnataka Western Ghats, and some of the gains made from stopping commercial exploitation in vast areas for a long time were undone by this.

Nevertheless the work of Chipko and Appiko activists remains a very inspiring example. As someone visiting these areas, particularly TehriGarhwal, again and again could see, these activists and villagers were working for protecting trees with great dedication, sacrificing and risking a lot, year after year.

At a time when Himalayan environment is so badly threatened leading to several disasters, it is all the more important to recall these inspiring experiences.

[The writer is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books including Planet in Peril, Protecting Earth for Children, Man over Machine, A Day in 2071 and Guardians of Himalayas–Vimla and Sunderlal Bahuguna.]

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Vol 58, No. 13, Sep 21 - 27, 2025