Idea he planted grows into massive green movement

The Pioneer , Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Correspondent : Anupma Khanna | Dehradun
While environmental degradation and global warming make unprecedented noise at the UN Climate Change Conference at Copenhagen and the world devises convoluted tactics to protect the eco-system, for nearly 15 years, the mountain women of Uttarakhand have been leading a simple, self-sustaining and inexpensive movement that is set to become a major ecological revolution.

How? A nuptial couple plants a sapling in the maternal village of the bride to be nurtured by her family: The cost — negligible. This practice spreads and becomes a tradition at every wedding solemnised: The return — a quantum leap in the forest cover of the area. This is the Maiti movement, meaning mother’s home, the vision of Kalyan Singh Rawat, an unassuming common man with an uncommon urge to protect the environment. Then a teacher in the Government Inter College, Rawat brought a humble but determined start to the movement in 1995 in Gwaldam hamlet in Chamoli district of Garhwal.

And today, without much resources or hefty funds, the people’s movement replicates in over 6,000 villages in 18 States of India and has caught international attention of the likes of former Foreign Minister of Canada, Flora Donald. The Maiti movement is a brilliant example of the centrality of eco-feminism and stake holder engagement in sustainable forestry and development.

In the movement, young unmarried girls of a village form a Maiti association and cultivate a nursery. The geographical conditions and needs of each village are weighed up and though fruit bearing seeds are given priority, fodder and fuel-providing trees are also planted.

As soon as a girl’s marriage is fixed, the Maiti didis, as they are locally called, spur into action. They prepare the plantation site within or near the bride’s home, manure it and select a sapling. The tree-plantation ceremony has become an integral ritual of these weddings and finds mention in the invitation cards, adding to its endorsement and cultural connotation.

The association members prepare welcome banners for the groom and on the wedding day they take the nuptial couple to the site where the bride presents the sapling to the groom. The bride and the groom then plant it together and water it as the priest chants sacred shlokas to pray for the sapling and bless the newly wed couple. The embodiment of the bride and symbol of her future prosperity, the plant is nurtured lovingly by her family and friends. Given the special care, the survival rate of the saplings is almost 100 per cent and in the rare cases that the tree dies, it is replanted immediately.

The groom gives some customary amount to the Maiti didis that is deposited in the local bank or post office and is used for educating or funding the marriage of underprivileged girls.

As remarked by researcher, Dr Vijay Prakash Singh, “It is interesting to note that the movement focuses on girls because of the belief that, as would-be mothers, they will be the ones inculcating values and ethics in the coming generations. As daughters-in-law, wives and mothers, women are the custodians of tradition and culture.” Having been rooted in the young girls, the drive is also hailed as the Movement of the Daughters Of Himalaya.

Reflecting upon his inspiration, the founder of the Maiti said, “Women in the hill region are among the worst affected by deforestation. They are compelled to walk for several km each day for supplying the most basic daily needs like grass, wood and drinking water. And I realised that our natural diversity and heritage can be conserved only if women participate actively.” As has been demonstrated by the initiative, in the Indian social milieu, where religion and sentiments run high, embedding a movement in the cultural practices of a community is one of the most certain routes to its success.

As also lauded by Chayya Kunwar, senior programme coordinator, Himalayan Action Research Centre, the success of this woman-centric movement has been spectacular. In the first four years itself, it had spread to 500 villages and the State Government had passed an order setting up all-women forest panchayats to rope in maximum women in the management and protection of forests. It is also noteworthy that post-Kargil War, women in Ochati village developed a Maiti forest dedicated to soldiers. Students from Garhwal University and citizens plant saplings on special occasions, including Valentine’s Day to promote the Maiti movement. The result of this in terms of improved forest cover in the State is startling. Uttarakhand has almost 70 per cent forest area as against 36 per cent in 1980.

The spirit behind the Maiti movement is the emotional motivation of the simple natives that has made it a thriving force. And it has important lessons to teach to the multitudes of us whose contribution to saving the environment is limited to mere rhetoric.

 
SOURCE : http://www.dailypioneer.com/221416/Idea-he-planted-grows-into-massive-green-movement.html
 


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