Ecofeminist Movement In The Chipko And Utttarakhand Movement

Mellor (2007) and Lahar (1991) have stressed the importance of grass-root movements and their role in the improvement of ecofeminist theory. The Chipko and Utttarakhand movement are few examples to show how women centred movements began to echo around the world w.r.t nature conservation and anti-oppression. Both Uttarakhand movement and Chipko are similar as both seeked control over local resources and demanded protection of the subsistence livelihood like subsistence agriculture and forest rights. These movements fought against growing commercialisation and exploitation of forest resources by the people residing in the plains (Mitra, 1993).

For a holistic understanding, the review also highlighted the criticism of Agarwal (1992 & 2010) on Ecofeminist School in general and on the Indian variant of ecofeminism by Shiva (1988 & 1993) and on Mies (1993) about the economic critique of development paradigm in particular. Agarwal (1992) critiques ecofeminism for stressing ideology as the main cause for twin domination of women and nature. She argues that

In 2000 the state of Uttarakhand was formed and with the onset of globalisation many changes came to the fore like alienation between people and nature. Nature and natural resources have increasingly come to be seen as managerial resources having only an economic worth. For instance, Tehri dam became a symbol of viewing natural resources as an economic resource.

The innate connection between nature and women as advocated by an ecofeminist perspective is present among older women, but it seems to have got diluted in the younger generation. This dilution is due to the exposure to commodification, lack of indigenous job opportunities, high scale of migration, lack of recognition for traditional ecological knowledge and practices in the district and state