Question 2 - 2 Marks Questions - Chapter 1 Class 7 Geography - Our Environment - Geography

Why did Chipkoo Movement takes place?

Answer:

Answer by Student

• Chipko Movement took place because the villagers wanted to protect their forests and livelihoods from deforestation and commercialization .
• Chipko Movement took place because the villagers valued their forests as sacred and cultural heritage and resisted the outsiders who wanted to exploit them.
• Chipko Movement took place because the villagers realized the importance of forests for the environment and the future generations .

Detailed Answer by Teachoo

The Chipko Movement was a social and environmental movement that started in 1973 in the Alakanada River Valley of Uttarakhand, which was then a part of Uttar Pradesh. The movement was led by local villagers, especially women, who protested against the deforestation and commercialization of their forests by hugging the trees and preventing the loggers from cutting them. The word chipko means to hug or embrace in Hindi.

The Chipko Movement took place for various reasons, such as:

• The villagers depended on the forests for their livelihoods and survival. They used the forest products for firewood, fodder, fruits, herbs, and other purposes. They also practiced subsistence farming and animal husbandry on the forest lands. They feared that if the forests were cut down, they would lose their sources of income and sustenance.
  
  
• The villagers valued their forests as sacred and cultural heritage. They worshipped the trees as deities and believed that they had spirits. They also had a strong sense of community and identity that was linked to their forests. They resisted the outsiders who wanted to exploit their forests for profit and development. They felt that they had a moral duty to protect their forests from destruction.
  
  
• The villagers realized the importance of forests for the environment and the future generations . They understood that the forests provided ecological services, such as oxygen production, carbon sequestration, soil conservation, water purification, climate regulation, and biodiversity conservation. They also knew that the forests were essential for maintaining the balance of nature and preventing natural disasters, such as floods, droughts, landslides, etc. They wanted to save their forests for their own benefit and for the benefit of their children and grandchildren.