Founding member of Chipko movement dies

NEW DELHI:

Environmentalist Sunderlal Bahuguna, a founding member of the tree-hugging Chipko movement in the 1970s to prevent their felling, died of Covid-19 at a hospital in Rishikesh on Friday. He was 94. A recipient of India’s second-highest civilian award, Padma Vibhushan, Bahuguna’s work revolved around people’s rights over forests in the Himalayas.

Bahuguna, who inspired many young men and women to get involved in environmental movements, was admitted to Rishikesh’s All India Institute

of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on May 8. He was on ventilator support when he passed away. V Nautiyal, who handles media relations at the hospital, said Bahuguna had two stents in his heart and had earlier been bedridden for around seven months at his residence in Dehradun. “Due to Covid-19, he also developed pneumonia which worsened his health condition along with high blood sugar and hypertension.”

Tributes poured in as soon as the news of Bahuguna’s death broke. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Bahuguna’s death a “monumental loss” for the nation. He added Bahuguna manifested India’s

Sunderlal Bahuguna centuries-old ethos of living in harmony with nature. “His simplicity and spirit of compassion will never be forgotten. My thoughts are with his family and many admirers. Om Shanti,” Modi tweeted.

President Ram Nath Kovind said Bahuguna’s death has ended a glorious chapter in the field of conservation. “A ‘Padma Vibhushan’ awardee, he was a Gandhian to the core. A legend in his own right, he made conservation a people’s movement. My condolences to his family and admirers,” the Rashtrapati Bhavan tweeted.

Uttarakhand chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat called Bahuguna’s death an irreplaceable loss for the whole world. “It is a grave loss for all of us. He had contributed immensely to the environment. Our prayers are with his family members,” said Rawat.

Author Ramchandra Guha called Bahuguna a person of