NEW DELHI: Global warming, climate change and environmental degradation are terms experts discuss on international fora. Women in Almora district of Uttarakhand may not be able to give the meaning of these words, but can tell you what they have done to preserve the environment, increase the water table and prevent deforestation.
It was in 2003 that the District Magistrate declared that water from the Kosi river could not be used for irrigation, as it had to be pumped to provide drinking water to the city. The police were deployed along the river to implement the order.
At the same time, a Kumaon University survey said the flow of water in the Kosi fell from 985 litres per second to 85 litres between 1992 and 2003. If nothing was done, the river would dry up in 10 years. The non-glacial rivers in Uttarakhand also indicated a reduced flow, thanks to environmental degradation — cutting of forests and drying up of waterbodies due to increased withdrawals — and construction of hydro power projects.
This raised an among the people living along the Kosi, and the Laxmi Ashram, working in the area for 60 years for the education of girls, took up the challenge. In a bid to restore environment, its activist Basanti Behn worked with women at Luisal, Channi Bijoria, Kaphari and other villages in the Borara Valley, organising them into mahila sangathans.
In the next five years, the trees started regenerating naturally, denuded forests became green again and the water levels went up. Soon, 60 villages joined the movement to manage the forest on their own.
To give a further boost to the movement, activists of the Laxmi Ashram took out a week-long padayatra in May 2007 from the Pinnath forest, source of the Kosi, covering Someshwar, Mansa Nala and the Lodh Valley, says Radha Behn, chairperson of the Gandhi Peace Foundation, who has been and associated with the Ashram for 57 years now.
The Ashram then decided to involve other organisations to save not only the Kosi but also all other rivers in Uttarakhand, receiving spontaneous response from civil society groups and institutional organisations.
The Ashram organised simultaneous padayatras along the 14 rivers between January 1 and 15 and decided to observe an annual ‘River Day’ when people will work for conservation of rivers, clean them and plant saplings along the banks. The year 2008 was declared the “Save the Rivers Year.” Ms. Radha Behn, who initiated the programme, was elected its coordinator.
The campaigners have decided to meet the Chief Minister to work together on the initiative.
