Another Corona causality-India loses its noted environmentalist
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in
Environmentalist and Chipko movement pioneer Sunderlal Bahuguna died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Rishikesh, a few hours ago after battling COVID-19 for several days. He was 94.
The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has expressed deep grief over the passing away of noted environmentalist, Sunderlal Bahuguna. In a tweet, the Prime Minister said, “Passing away of Shri Sunderlal Bahuguna Ji is a monumental loss for our nation. He manifested our centuries old ethos of living in harmony with nature. His simplicity and spirit of compassion will never be forgotten. My thoughts are with his family and many admirers. Om Shanti.”
Bahuguna, an eco activist, spent his life persuading and educating the villagers to protest against the destruction of the forests and Himalayan Mountains. The Chipko Movement had gained traction under Bahuguna. It was his endeavor that saw then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi banning the cutting of trees. Bahuguna is best remembered for the slogan “ecology is the permanent economy”.
The idea of Chipko movement was of his wife and the action was taken by him. For years he has been fighting for the preservation of forests in the Himalayas, first as a member of the Chipko movement in the 1970s, and later spearheaded the Anti-Tehri Dam movement starting 1980s, to early 2004.He was one of the early environmentalists of India, and later he and people associated with the Chipko movement started taking up environmental issues, like against large dams.
In 1981 government awarded him with Padma Shri Award, but he refused it. Later in the year 1989, Honorary Degree of Doctor of Social Sciences was conferred by IIT Roorkee. In 2009, Padma Vibhushan Award by government of India for environment conservation.
Another Corona causality-India loses its noted environmentalist, Sunderlal Bahuguna who has been a passionate defender of the Himalayan people, working for temperance, the plight of the hill people (especially working women). He has also struggled to defend India’s rivers.
May 21,2021
