Question

Which is considered as the first Environmental movement in India?

• A. Chipko movement
• B. Appiko movement
• C. Lok Satta movement
• D. Narmada Bachao Andolan

Answer 1

Answer:

A. Chipko movement

While the Bishnoi movement of the 18th century (1730 AD) in Rajasthan, led by Amrita Devi, is historically the earliest documented instance of non-violent, organized environmental protest (where 363 people sacrificed their lives to protect 'Khejri' trees by literally hugging them), it is not listed as an option.

Among the given options and in the context of the modern Indian environmental movement that gained national and international recognition:

• Chipko Movement (1973): This movement, which started in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand (then part of Uttar Pradesh), is widely regarded as the beginning of the modern, large-scale, and non-violent grass-roots environmental activism in independent India. The name 'Chipko' means 'to hug' or 'to cling to,' reflecting the method used by villagers, especially women, to physically embrace trees to prevent logging contractors from felling them.