After Huggers' Protests, Uttarakhand CM Halts Felling Of 4,000 Trees: The 2026 ‘Chipko Movement’ Explained

Published 19 July 2026 · india

After Huggers' Protests, Uttarakhand CM Halts Felling Of 4,000 Trees: The 2026 ‘Chipko Movement’ Explained Published By, Last Updated: July 19, 2026, 18:23 IST Rishikesh-Bhaniyawala

After Huggers' Protests, Uttarakhand CM Halts Felling Of 4,000 Trees: The 2026 ‘Chipko Movement’ Explained Published By, Last Updated: July 19, 2026, 18:23 IST Rishikesh-Bhaniyawala (Dehradun–Rishikesh) highway expansion: Govt suspends exercise following outrage and "tree-hugging" demonstrations reminiscent of historic Chipko Movement Rapid Read Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. (File Photo: PTI) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has officially ordered an immediate halt to the proposed felling of over 4,000 trees for the Rishikesh-Bhaniyawala (Dehradun–Rishikesh) highway expansion project. The state government suspended the exercise following intense public outrage and sustained “tree-hugging" demonstrations reminiscent of the historic Chipko Movement. The project It is a ₹743-crore, 20-kilometre highway-widening initiative managed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) by the Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The project layout marked 4,369 mature trees (predominantly sal trees) for removal through the “Saat Mod" forest stretch. This area directly intersects a highly sensitive wildlife and elephant corridor within the Shivalik Elephant Reserve. On July 18, 2026, CM Dhami announced via social media that all tree-felling operations would remain completely suspended until a comprehensive consensus and atmosphere of trust are reached with local citizens, public representatives, and environmental experts. देहरादून–ऋषिकेश फोर/सिक्स लेन परियोजना को लेकर पिछले कुछ दिनों से अनेक नागरिकों, पर्यावरण प्रेमियों एवं स्थानीय लोगों द्वारा व्यक्त की जा रही चिंताओं और सुझावों का मैंने गंभीरता से संज्ञान लिया है।यह परियोजना भारतीय राष्ट्रीय राजमार्ग प्राधिकरण (NHAI) की एक महत्वपूर्ण अवसंरचना… Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) July 18, 2026 The 2026 Chipko movement: The tree-huggers’ fight Local residents, student bodies, and environmental activists staged massive ground protests by physically hugging the trees marked for axes.

[1] In a symbolic move against the clearing of the green cover, protestors marked the state’s traditional nature-bound Harela festival as “Black Harela". Prior to the CM’s intervention, cutting had briefly commenced under heavy police protection, resulting in minor clashes, the felling of roughly 350 trees, and the temporary detention of multiple activists. Next Steps & Mitigation Measures The Chief Minister has formally directed the Chief Secretary and principal officials to initiate a fresh, transparent dialogue with all stakeholders. While the NHAI has proposed mitigation features like a 3.5-km wildlife underpass, specialized culverts, and scientific tree translocations, further project implementation is legally bound to align with any forthcoming directives from the Uttarakhand High Court. 🌳📍 Uttarakhandउत्तराखंड की रहने वाली मानवी ने देहरादून-ऋषिकेश हाईवे परियोजना के लिए प्रस्तावित पेड़ों की कटाई के विरोध में अपना मुंडन कराकर पर्यावरण संरक्षण का संदेश दिया। मानवी ने खुले तौर पर पेड़ों की कटाई का विरोध करते हुए सरकार से इस प्रक्रिया को रोकने की मांग की। उनका… — KUMAR (@MyCric101) July 19, 2026 What is the Chipko movement? The Chipko movement was a nonviolent grassroots forest conservation campaign in India during the 1970s. Its primary significance was halting rampant commercial deforestation and empowering rural communities—especially women—to protect their local ecosystems and defend the principle that “ecology is the permanent economy". The term Chipko translates to “to cling" or “to embrace" in Hindi, reflecting the protesters’ signature tactic of hugging trees to shield them from loggers’ axes.