Sukhomajri Village    

Sukhomajri village, near Chandigarh, has been widely hailed for its pioneering efforts in microwatershed development. Villagers protected the heavily degraded forest land that lies within the catchment of their minor irrigation tank. The tank helped to increase crop production nearly three times and the protection of the forest area greatly increased grass and fodder availability.

This in turn has greatly increased milk production. In the first five years, annual household incomes increased by an estimated Rs 2000 to Rs 3000—a stupendous achievement by any count and all of it has been achieved through the improvement of the village natural resource base and self-reliance.

   Chipko MOvement   

The Chipko movement acquired many facets, primarily as a conservation endeavour by the poor, a struggle for local control of natural resources and an effort by women to protect their environment. Chipko's first battle took place in 1973 in Chamoli, when the villagers of Mandal prevented the sports goods company, Symonds, from felling 14 ash trees.

The protests in Uttar Pradesh achieved a major victory in 1980 with a 15-year ban on green felling in the Himalayan forests. Since then the movement has spread to Himachal Pradesh in the North, Kamataka in the South, Rajasthan in the West, Bihar in the East and to the Vindhyas in Central India.

Each village of India must have its own clearly defined environment to
protect, improve, care and for use.