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The radical roots of Indian environmentalism

Guha's Critique of Western Environmentalism

Environmental historian Ramachandra Guha argues that Indian environmentalism has fundamentally different roots and concerns than the mainstream environmentalism of the West, particularly the Deep Ecology movement from the USA.

Feature Deep Ecology (Western Model) Indian Environmentalism (Guha's View)
Primary Focus Wilderness Preservation & a philosophical shift from anthropocentrism to biocentrism. Social Justice & Livelihood Security. Environmental issues are tied to survival.
Core Problem Seen as a spiritual/philosophical crisis (human arrogance towards nature). Seen as a material crisis driven by overconsumption by the rich and resource transfer from the poor.
Key Actors Scientists, conservation elites, and philosophers. Rural communities, tribal groups, peasants, and especially women.
Critique Can lead to "green imperialism" where Western ideas are imposed, displacing local communities (e.g., Project Tiger). Its primary challenge is balancing conservation with livelihoods and development with justice.

The Problem of Overconsumption & Guha's Typology

Guha argues that blaming population growth in the Global South for the environmental crisis is a fallacy that ignores the disproportionate ecological footprint of the Global North. The real issue is overconsumption.

Guha's Socio-ecological Typology of India

This framework explains how development has created ecological injustice:

  1. Omnivores: The urban middle and upper classes who consume resources from across the nation and the globe.
  2. Ecosystem People: Rural and tribal communities who depend directly on their local natural resources for survival.
  3. Ecological Refugees: People (mostly former Ecosystem People) displaced by development projects like dams and mines, with no secure livelihood.

The central critique is that Indian development has systematically transferred resources from the Ecosystem People to the Omnivores, creating Ecological Refugees in the process.

A Timeline of Major Indian Environmental Movements

Unlike the scientist-led movements in the West, Indian environmentalism was born from the protests of rural communities.

  • 1730 - Bishnoi Movement (Rajasthan):

    • Leaders: Amrita Devi Bishnoi and 363 others.
    • Significance: Sacrificed their lives to protect sacred Khejri trees. An early example of community-led, non-violent environmental protection rooted in ethical values.

  • 1970s - Chipko Movement (Uttarakhand):

    • Leaders: Gaura Devi, Chandi Prasad Bhatt, Sunderlal Bahuguna.
    • Significance: Marked the birth of modern Indian environmentalism. Villagers, especially women, hugged trees to prevent logging. It highlighted eco-feminism, grassroots action, and the link between environment and livelihood.

  • 1978 - Silent Valley Movement (Kerala):

    • Leaders: Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP), a People's Science Movement.
    • Significance: A successful campaign against a hydroelectric dam threatening a pristine rainforest. It set a precedent for science-based activism in India.

  • 1983 - Appiko Movement (Karnataka):

    • Leaders: Pandurang Hegde.
    • Significance: Inspired by Chipko, this movement protected forests in the Western Ghats.

  • 1985 onwards - Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA):

    • Leaders: Medha Patkar, Baba Amte, Arundhati Roy.
    • Significance: A decades-long mass movement against large dams on the Narmada River. It brought the issues of ecological justice, displacement, and the flawed nature of cost-benefit analysis (as highlighted in Roy's essay "The Greater Common Good") to the national stage.

Guha's Three Waves of Indian Environmentalism

Guha summarizes the evolution of the movement into three distinct phases:

  1. The First Wave (Rural & Forest-Based):

    • Focus: Survival.
    • Actors: Tribal and peasant women (e.g., Chipko).
    • Issues: Access to forests, water, and natural resources for livelihood.

  2. The Second Wave (Anti-Development Projects):

    • Focus: Justice.
    • Actors: Social activists, displaced communities (e.g., NBA).
    • Issues: Protests against large dams and mining projects that displace the poor for the benefit of the rich.

  3. The Third Wave (Urban & Middle-Class):

    • Focus: Quality of Life.
    • Actors: Citizens, NGOs, using the legal system.
    • Issues: Urban problems like air/water pollution, waste management, and the right to a clean environment.

Exam Tip: This is a crucial lecture. Be prepared to:

  1. Contrast Indian and Western environmentalism using Guha's critique of Deep Ecology.
  2. Explain Guha's socio-ecological typology (Omnivores, Ecosystem People, Ecological Refugees).
  3. Describe the key features of at least two major movements, like Chipko (eco-feminism, livelihood) and Narmada Bachao Andolan (ecological justice, displacement).
  4. Summarize Guha's three waves of environmentalism as a way to structure the history of the movement.
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