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A Case Study of Women's Role in the Chipko Movement in Uttar Pradesh Author(S): Shobhita Jain Reviewed Work(S): Source: Economic and Political Weekly, Vol

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A Case Study of Women's Role in the Chipko Movement in Uttar Pradesh Author(S): Shobhita Jain Reviewed Work(S): Source: Economic and Political Weekly, Vol Women and People's Ecological Movement: A Case Study of Women's Role in the Chipko Movement in Uttar Pradesh Author(s): Shobhita Jain Reviewed work(s): Source: Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 19, No. 41 (Oct. 13, 1984), pp. 1788-1794 Published by: Economic and Political Weekly Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4373670 . Accessed: 08/11/2011 21:54 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Economic and Political Weekly is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Economic and Political Weekly. http://www.jstor.org SPECIAL ARTICLES Women and Peoples Ecological Movement A Case Study of Women's Role in the Chipko Movement in Uttar Pradesh Shobhita Jain In the ChipkoMovement, which is concernedwith preservation offorests and maintenanceof the ecologicalbalance in the sub-Himalayanregion, is a social movement,-an important role has been played by women of Garhwal region. The authorcontends that women'sparticipation not only played often a decisiverole, but that consider- ing the specificexistential conditions in the hill regionit was easierfor womento perceivethe needfor preserving the ecological balancein the area. However,the mobilisationof womenfor the cause of preservingforests has broughtabout a situation of conflict regardingtheir own status in society-demand for sharingin the decision- makingprocess-and men'sopposition to this and to women'ssupport for Chipkomovement. The study is based on investigationin Chamoli district in Garhwaldivision. Introduction Since there is a certain type of development Chipko movement, there was a different pro- of industry and technology along with mercan- cess which resulted in women's participation. found in a state of perfect SINCE no society is tilistic capitalism in India, the Chipko pro- There was a sustained dialogue between the situa- structural equilibrium, there are always ponents argue that in this process there is Chipko workersand the victims of the environ- tions of conflict and in each society there are definite alienation of the forest-dwellers and mental disasters in the hill areas of Garhwal. means of articulating institutionalisedways and along with forests also the disappearance of Women being the sole in-charge of cultivation, and resolving such conflicts. If a need is felt their economy. Thus, there is the short term as livestock and children, lost all they had because for alteringor transformingthe structurein a well as the long term destruction of the eco- certainfashion, some formof collectivemobi- of recurringfloods and landslides. The message system and while the traditional preservers of of the Chipko workers made a direct appeal to lisationof peopleand their resources is resorted forests are driven away there is no correspon- to and this activityis giventhe nameof social women who were able to perceive the link bet- ding system of fresh planting in the place of ween their. victimisation and baring of the movement. Sometimes, there is resistance the unmindful felling of trees for commercial againstchange which may alter or transform mountain slopes by commercial interests.Thus, use. It is, therefore, argued that the old system women clearly saw the reasons behind their pro- the systemand there is strongpressure to check of eco-balance should be brought back and this move.This situation again shows the signs blems and needs of sheer survival made them hence our characterisation of this social move- support a movement which is seeking the pre- of conflictand this activityis also calledsocial ment in a change-resisting role. Later, while movement. servation of the ecological balance in the area. discussing different ideologies of development, Why men did not see these connections and Both these factorsof social movementare we will also look at this movement's links with role in women did has to do with the way the sub- present-inour case-studyof women's the people-oriented social movement, initiated The Chipkomovement sistence economy is organised in this area. It the Chipkomovement. by Mahatma Gandhi, of which the Chipkc- is an ecological movement,concerned with is also related with the way men perceive the movement is an offshoot. preservationof forestsand thereby maintenance Chipko movement as a 'back to nature strategy of the traditionaleco-balance in the sub- Coming to women's role in this movement and their preference for the alternative type of Himalayanregion where hill people have tradi- the collective mobilisation of women for the development that is taking place all around tionally enjoyeda positive relationshipwith cause of preserving forests has brought about them in the whole country. theirenvironment. Thus, it is strivingfor the a situation of conflict regardingtheir own status In analysing the data regardingwomen's role traditionalstatus quo betweenthe peopleand in society. This situation of conflict is here in the Chipko moveutient,I have used the socio- theenvironment. Its proponents have effectively discussed in relation to women's demands for logical concepts of social movement, develop- demonstratedthat the past and the present sharing in the decision-making process along ment, conflict, power and authority. First I pre- forest policy of the Indian governmenthas with men; hence men's opposition to women's sent in brief the social setting-local economy, negativelyaffected the ecological balance of the support to the Chipko movement. Women are, role of forest in the life of people, development areaand causeduprooting of indigenouspeo- on the one hand, seeking alterations in their of infrastructureof education, health and com- ple who previouslydepended on forests for position in society and, on the other hand, sup- munication, followed by an account of the theirsurvival and in returnthey preservedthe porting a social movement which is basically short history of the Chipko movement as forestby maintaininga strongbond of venera- resisting change. To understand these different reconstructedfrom published material and per- tion and love towardsthe forestaround them. levels of the movement, it is crucial to ask the sonal communication and interviews with In thisway it canbe saidthat the Chipkomove- questions-why do women support the move- women participants in the Chipko processions ment,which is nowspread from one end of the ment and what is the extent of awareness and meetings. This section is followed by some Himalayasin Kashmirto the other end in among them or, in other words, how many analytical comments, including methodological ArunachalPradesh, is endeavouringto alterthe women in the hill areas are actually par- problems faced in the study of a participatory. government'sforest policy by insisting on ticipating in the movement? social movement. The complex situation, maintenanceof the traditionalstatus quo in the Leaders of the Indian nationalist movement presentedFbythe conjunction of several factors Himalayanand other forest regionsof India at one stage decided to seek women's participa- in Garhwal region, provides an interestingcase- and, in this sense, thereis resistancetowards tion and Mahatma Gandhi gave a call to study from the point of women's development. change and opening up of the area for Indian women to come out of their homes for Someone well familiar with the Chipko move- technologicaldevelopment. the cause of national independence. In the ment remarked that it is not a women's move- Elcomomic and(IPliti(al Vceklv 1788 Vol XIX No 41. October 13, 1914 ECONOM\IC ANI) [POLITICAL WEEKLY October 13, 1984 ment. Someone else had, on the other hand, cent persons are gainfully employed. Sixty per the year, villagers have to look for other sources described in detail how women's participation cent of the total female population of the of subsistence and the nearest source is the gave it a thrust and spearheaded it towards suc- district is 'working' while only 55 per cent of forest around them. Thus, settled agriculture cess. Seemingly contradictory facts are not ac- the men in the district 'work'. Further, 97 per is coupled with dependence on foraging of tually so because as a social movement in its cent of working women are engaged in cultiva- minor forest produce. The villagers also use the change-resisting role, the Chipko movement is tion while only 72 per cent of the men are main forest produce for various purposes like certainly not a women's movement and it does cultivators. Women in this area do not work making agricultural tools, dwellings, cooking not seek change in the traditional social struc- in mining, quarrying, transport, storage, com- fuel. Forest also is used for grazing cattle. ture. Another observer commented satirically munication and construction work. A small People generally had a free access to the ter- that women of the families of the Chipko percentage-1.3 per cent-of working women ritory from which they derived nutrition but workersare so backward and confined to work engage in household industries of manufactur- since 1821after the 'trial settlement' there began in homes and fields, that one is hardly impress- ing, processing,
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