Eminent environmentalist and padma vibhushan Sunderlal Bahuguna died of Covid-19 at AIIMS Rishikesh on Friday. The 94 year old eco-activist was admitted in a hospital on May 8 after his oxygen level started fluctuating.
The Chipko Movement pioneer, Bahuguna spent his entire life educating villagers of Uttarakhand to protect their environment and protest against reckless cutting of trees in the region.
He started the Chipko Movement in 1973 where he inspired villagers in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli region to hug trees to save them from being chopped. The movement gained momentum and became a symbol of India’s Forest Conservation efforts.