Ideologies of Environmentalism

Environmental movement directed towards, promoting sustainable use of resources, halting degradation, bring restoration. Indians access to resources varied widely Diversity of environmental movement 3 categories of people involved, namely Omnivores, ecosystem people, ecological refugees & different strands are possible.

Ideological variations
Ramachandra Guha Article titled Ideological Trends in Indian Environmentalism Three strands namely Crusading Gandhian, Appropriate technology, & Ecological Marxist He was trying analysis the issue from historical perspective. Radical ecologist & social ecologist and so on, keeping European context and draw Indian pattern

Ideologies of Environmentalism
Environmental movement directed towards, promoting sustainable use of resources, halting degradation, bring restoration. Indians access to resources varied widely Diversity of environmental movement 3 categories of people involved, namely Omnivores, ecosystem people, ecological refugees & different strands are possible.

The major strands..

2- exclusively focused - nature conservation 1- aesthetic, recreational/scientific grounds 1- cultural or religious traditions Wildlife conservation movement- attracted omnivores Eg- for 1st Bishnoi peasants of Rajasthan protecting khejadi trees, & birds-eg. Ecosystem people 3rd -Efficiency of resource use from technocratic perspective &established land use board, watershed development projects run by Omnivorous

Dominant strand in India

Dominant strand focused on question of equity Conflicts - omnivores and ecosystem people Such movement involve socially conscious omnivores, ecosystem people / ecological refugees The environmentalism of the poor differ from capitalist societies of West 4 broad strands within these movements

Indian strands
1st moral imperatives of checking overuse & doing justice to poor- Gandhians 2nd- need to dismantle the unjust social order through struggle- Marxists 3rd &4th emphasize reconstruction, employing technologies appropriate, scientific approach, revival of community-based management, village level efforts to protect resources

Environmental analysis
Material, political & ideological expression can be seen. Material- shortage of natural resources. Political-social action groups of the victims of environmental degradation World Wide Fund -India organized by rich people against noise pollution. Thurow (1980) contended that environmentalism is predominantly an interest of the upper middle class of the rich countries and that poor countries poor individuals are simply not interested in environmentalism but involve them.

Indian Environmental Movement

Very much involve poor and the disadvantage victims of environmental degradations. The Action groups used 3 distinct sets of initiatives 1st through process of struggle to prevent ecologically destructive economic practices 2nd- promoted ecological message using media& innovative informal means 3rd taken up programmes on environmental rehabilitation, restoring village eco systems, enhancing quality life.

Political in nature
Though the initiatives taken by groups of outside political but always lead in to politics From BJP-Communist party turned a blind eye Rajni Kothari termed it as non-party political formation & trying the linkage ecological degradation & rural poverty Criticize the development process & suggested alternative frame work for development Development option continued ideological expression

Ideological expression
Creating awareness-collective protest, coverage in print media,write signed article, involving leading environmentalists- Sunderlal Bahuguna &Baba Amte 1970 virtual explosion in news papers Down to Earth, books by Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishat- oral means of communication Karnataka-Yakshagana- dance- drama

Innovative techniques.
Gandhis Padayatra model followed Vinoba Bhave s disciple led first padayatra Trans- Himalyan marchKashmir to Kanyakumari, 4000km, Sunderlal Bahuguna in 1982-3. 1987-8, save the Western Ghats March,150 NGOs, 1600Km, TN,Karnataka,Goa, Maharshtra. Save Nilgiris, Save Sivaliks at J&K,1991-50days march through Eastern Ghats-Vanya Prant Chaitanya Yatra, 1993-Aravali Chaitanya yatra

Environmental Rehabilitation
Reviving indigenous tradition of community Chipko by Dasholi Gram Swarajya Mandal Leadership of Chandi prasad Bhatt, aforestation work in the upper Alakanda valley. High survival rate saplings (75%) contrast to government (14% ) Anna Saheb Hazare- Ahamednagar, Build storage ponds, 4,00,000 saplings planted, Ralegaon village awarded as eco-restoration through SHG Against corruption,awarded Padma Shri-returned

Strands & its emphasis

Crusading Gandhians-checking overuse, justice to poor Ecological Marxists- unjust social order Appropriate Technologists, Scientific Conservations, Wildness Enthusiasts- revival of community based management systems,sustainable use &environ-friendly The 1st one relies on moral/religious view point& reject modern life. Moral problem,materialism and consumerisms,away from nature Massage-moral regeneration,against western models Sunderlal Bahuguna Chipko Movement.

Ecological Marxist
See problem in economic &political ? Unequal access to resources then values Stratified society-Rich destroy nature Rich for profit & poor for survival Create economically just society Precondition is social & ecological harmony Both 1st&2nd seen as ideological& political extremist & created different set of people,eg.Kerala Sastra Sahitys Parishat

Appropriate Technologists
Working for synthesis of agriculture & Industry Big& small, western& eastern technology Influenced by western socialism ,judicious Reconciliation between modern & traditional technique to fulfill social equity,local self-reliance Environmental sustainability & Macro Scale Alternative model for economic development Criticize social hierarchies, working towards equity and science

Scientific/Wilderness Conservation
Influential strand of State &State agencies B.B.Vohra,senior bureaucrat- first person to draw public attention on land & water degradation Instrumental to create new ministries & departments deal with problem of environmental degradation

Limittations.
There is no country wide organization or policy to deal the issue No coordination between the departments Wildlife protection Act1972,The Forest Conservation Act1980,The Environment Protection Act1986 No group is cognizant with social roots of environment use and abuse

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