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Van Mahotsav : Empowering women in Forestry


INTRODUCTION: VAN MAHOTSAV DAY



Van Mahotsav Day, Forest Festival, is a seven-day-long festival. It is observed to spread awareness about the importance of forests, woodlands and trees in our lives. On this day, various local activities and seminars are conducted to educate people about the importance of planting trees. It was started by KM Munshi, the then Union Minister for Agriculture and Food in 1950. The objective behind celebrating Van Mahotsav is to keep local people involved in plantation drives and spread environmental awareness.




SIGNIFICANCE


The name Van Mahotsav signifies and means "Festival of Trees". Trees and forests play a crucial role in maintaining an ecological balance and providing oxygen to humans on the planet. The Van Mahotsav week serves as a reminder that we must protect forests and stop deforestation and practice the 3R rule- Reduce, reuse and recycle. By encouraging everyone to support tree planting and tending, festival organizers hope to create more forests in the country. It would provide alternative fuels, increase production of food resources, create shelter-belts around fields to increase productivity, provide food and shade for cattle, offer shade and decorative landscapes, reduce drought, and help to prevent soil erosion. The first week of July becomes the right time for planting trees in most parts of India since it coincides with the monsoon.


OBJECTIVES OF VAN MAHOTSAV


Some of the objectives of this festival, as envisioned by Dr Munshi are:

  • To increase fruit production

  • Help in the creation of shelter-belts across agricultural fields to increase productivity

  • Furnish fodder leaves for cattle to reduce grazing intensity upon reserved forests

  • Prevent soil infertility and boost soil conservation

  • Provide shade and decorative trees for added aesthetics to the landscape

  • Supply small poles and timber for fencing, agricultural implements and house constructions

ROLE OF WOMEN


Although Van Mahotsav is meant for every person yet women have shown an active participation in this festival where they have led plantation drives and many more activities to protect and preserve the forests. It also empowers women to come to the forefront and participate in such events. According to the World Bank in 1991, “Women play an essential role in the management of natural resources, including soil, water, forests an energy and often has a profound traditional and contemporary knowledge of the natural world around them”.

The knowledge of women regarding the forest produces which have high herbal and medicinal value gained through long experience is disappearing with deforestation. Women are major contributors to environmental rehabilitation and conservation. They have high ecological consciousness.



Women have always been engaged with the protection of environment movements. Women have been involved in several governmental & nongovernmental forestry & environment programs like Chipko movement, community forestry programs, social forestry programs, Green Belt movement and keep the city clean programs. Van Mahotsav provides another opportunity to all the women to collaborate their efforts and hence contribute towards the protection of the environment and the nature.


The sustainable use of the environment by women is the result of their closeness to nature. Most women, especially in rural areas, are involved in household activities like the collection of food, water, fodder and fuel, which enhance their knowledge of the environment, thus enabling them to implement the appropriate conservation practices and technologies.


We have multiple instances where women have come to the forefront and took active measures in protecting the environment. Some of these can be seen in the following:


Kinkri Devi: Environmentalist Kinkri Devi from Himachal Pradesh opposed limestone extraction in the Sirmaur district. After observing the severe environmental harm caused by quarrying, Kinkri Devi made the decision to speak out and sue the mine owners. Her tale is told here.

Kinkri Devi came from a low-income family. She began working as a servant when she was young; her father was a subsistence farmer. Despite not being able to read or write, she was the one who informed the public about the environment and highlighted issues regarding the repercussions of unregulated mining. She began her battle by raising consciousness locally. And ultimately, in 1987, she petitioned the Shimla High Court with the help of a neighborhood non


profit organization called People’s Action for People in Need.


2.Tulsi Gowda: Gowda is from a low-income household and is an indigenous member of the Halakki tribe in Karnatka.

Despite having any formal education, the 72-year-old is well-known as the “Encyclopedia of the Forest”. This is a result of her vast knowledge of several plant and herb species.

Gowda has taken care of and planted hundreds of trees since she was 12 years old, and she later teamed up with the forest department as a temporary volunteer.




3. Gaura Devi: Gaura Devi, who rallied the women to hug the trees and forbid their chopping, launched the Chipko movement in 1974. At the Reni village, she served as the leader of the Mahila Mangal Dal.

Gaura Devi organized 27 ladies to confront the lumbermen on the day they were scheduled to cut the trees. She initially attempted to dissuade them, but the lumbermen quickly turned to verbal abuse and threats. In order to prevent the trees from being cut down, the women decided to hug them.









4.Medha Patkar: She is a well-known environmentalist who has been actively involved in the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), a potent public movement that opposes the building of a sizable dam on the Narmada River.

In 1989, she founded the NBA, and she has been active ever since. She tried fasting multiple times as a nonviolent form of protest.

Women’s roles are now acknowledged in all fields. With this, it is necessary to acknowledge their roles in ecology management in order to encourage more women to actively participate. This is because women in rural regions have stronger ties to conservation and natural resources than males do. Women frequently interact with natural resources such as land, water, forests, and wildlife because of their traditional gender roles. Women’s contributions are seen to improve rule compliance and increase transparency in all fields of endeavour. Even better dispute resolution and improved observance result from it.


HOW TO CELEBRATE VAN MAHOTSAV

  • People celebrate Van Mahotsav in India by planting trees and saplings in colleges, schools, homes, offices, etc.

  • Awareness campaigns are conducted at various levels.

  • New promotions such as free tree circulation are also featured by various organizations and volunteers.

Such festivals raise people's awareness of trees and show the need for tree planting and care, as trees are one of the best ways to prevent global warming and reduce pollution.


References:



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