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. |
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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. |
