Gaura Devi of Reni village played key role

DEHRADUN: Reni village in Chamoli district, where the flash flood tragedy struck on Sunday, has played a central role in the Chipko movement, one of India’s major environmental movements. And one of the movement’s main protagonists, Gaura Devi, hailed from this village.

Ajay Singh Rawat, a historian who has authored books on Uttarakhand’s ecology and environment, said Gaura Devi had played a key role in the Chipko movement in March 1974 when contractors engaged by an Allahabad-based sports goods company came to Reni village to cut Ash trees. “The male members in the village had gone away. And it was Gaura Devi and the women of nearby Lata village hugged trees and didn’t allow the contractors to cut them. Reni village is divided by Rishiganga.

One side is called Pala Reni and another side Wala Reni. She was born on Pala side in 1925 but came to live in the Wala side early in her life,” he said.

The Chipko movement started in 1973 against tree cutting and spread in the Himalayas, inspired by Gandhian non-violence. :It was because of her bravery and determination that the contractors backed off and the then UP government set up a committee of experts to investigate the matter. Later the committee maintained that Reni forest area was an ecologically sensitive area and that no trees should be felled there,” he said.

Rawat said if Uttarakhand has a good forest cover at present, Gaura Devi has a major role in it. “She changed our attitude and outlook towards forests. Her fight to save forests also showed what villagers can do to save their green wealth from commercial interests.”