Appiko Movement History Background, Objective and Causes

The Appiko Movement started in 1983 in Karnataka to save the Kalase forest in the Western Ghats. Led by environmentalist Panduranga Hegde, locals, including men, women, and children, hugged trees to stop the government from cutting them down. The word “appiko” means “hug” in Kannada, which is how the movement got its name. The effort succeeded, stopping deforestation and showing how vital the forest is to the villagers.

The purpose of this article is to provide information on the Appiko movement. It is a relevant topic for UPSC Notes CSE prelims and mains GS3. This article also

Appiko Movement

The Appiko movement began in the year 1983 in the Uttara Kannada region of the Western Ghats of Karnataka. The Appiko movement was a movement similar to the Chipko movement, that began in 1973 in the Garhwal Himalayan region of Uttarakhand. In September 1983, Salkani men, women, and children began hugging trees to save the Kalase forest in Karnataka. Led by environmentalist Panduranga Hegde, the movement forced loggers and contractors of the state forest agency and the state forest department to stop cutting down trees. In Kannada, “hugging” is pronounced “appiko”; the movement is locally known as Appiko Chaluvali or Chalevali.

The Appiko movement in India created awareness among villagers throughout the Western Ghats about the ecological threat posed by commercial and industrial interests to their forest, which served as their primary source of livelihood. The agitation continued for 38 days and forced the state government to finally accept their demands and withdraw the tree felling order. Appiko is the Kannada word for “embrace”, which symbolizes the protection of the tree. The agitation is therefore called Appiko Chaluvali or Chalevali in the local language.

Background of Appiko Movement

Know more about the Appiko Movement India in detail, in the below section we have added its background.

• In August 1983 the forest department was asked to stop felling in the Bilegal forest under the Hulekal range by the inhabitants of Sirsi Taluk, Uttara Kannada.
• The contractors carried on clear-cutting natural forests while the forest department disregarded the residents’ cries for assistance.
• The forest department’s neglect caused serious soil erosion and water resource depletion, among other negative repercussions that the people had to deal with.
• Residents of Salkani village lost access to the only surviving forest patch, which supplied biomass for fuelwood, fodder, and honey.
  Significant losses were also incurred by farmers who grew spices in Uttara Kannada and relied on forest leaf manure.

Objectives of the Appiko Movement

The three main objectives of the Appiko Movement are:

• Preserve young forest trees and promote afforestation on depleted land.
• Balance forest resource use with environmental protection.
• Raise awareness through slide shows, dances, marches, and street plays.
• Allow tree felling only for dead, dying, or dry trees in some areas.
• The movement spread to Goa, Eastern Tamil Nadu, and four hill towns in Karnataka.
• Aim to reforest bare areas and increase tree planting.
• Sirsi region saw 1.2 million seedlings planted in 1984-1985.
• Involve the forest department in tree planting efforts.
• Acknowledge challenges due to past reliance on chemical fertilizers.

Causes of the Appiko Movement:

In August 1983, residents of Sirsi Taluk requested the forest department stop tree cutting in the Bilegal forest, Hulekal range. Their request was ignored, and contractors continued clearing trees, leading to soil erosion and drying water sources. Salkani village lost its forest, disrupting the supply of fuelwood, fodder, and honey. Spice-garden farmers in Uttara Kannada also faced difficulties due to the loss of forested leaf manure.

Impact of the Appiko Movement

• The Appiko movement in India, confronted the state and advocated for peoples right to access food and natural resource for their subsistence.
• It brought attention to the environmental risks that commercial and industrial interests pose in southern India.
• In the Sirsi region, 1.2 million trees were planted between 1984 and 1985 in answer to the movement’s demand for planting trees on cleared regions with the help of forest department.
• The Appiko movement maintained chances for natives to make a living by protecting vital life sources such as bamboo trees, which the people used to make and sell handcrafted goods.
• The Appiko movement, which aims to create a sustainable society that balances the demands of humans and the environment, reintroduced Gandhi’s protest and mobilization techniques, much like the Chipko movement did.

Methods of Appiko Movement

• To increase awareness, the Appiko movement employed diverse tactics such as folk dances, performances in remote forests, street dramas, and foot rallies accompanied by slide exhibitions.
• Kannada translations of the movement’s well-known slogan, “save, grow, and use forest resources rationally, were Ubsu (save), Belesu (grow), and Balasu (rational use).
• This movement inspired villagers to grow trees. Individual families as well as village youth clubs took an active interest in developing decentralized nurseries.
• Village people started the process of planting trees in barren land and youth clubs took the responsibility of this project. With this, the whole village has come together to save this land from grazing, felling and fire.

Conclusion

The Appiko movement, similar to the Chipko movement, aimed to protect forests by hugging trees. It started on 8 September 1983, in the Salkani forest of Uttara Kannada, Karnataka, when locals, led by environmentalist Panduranga Hegde, protested against tree cutting. The movement quickly spread to nearby districts and successfully achieved its goals.

Sharing is caring!