The Harela festival was celebrated in Uttarakhand on 15 July 2022. This is a festival associated with nature and the environment. Social media was full of tree planting across the state and talk of environmental protection. The Chief Minister, his Ministers and officials were all planting trees and advising people on environmental protection. Persons in high places were saying that we should protect nature, nurture trees, etc etc. Three days in the year are fixed as Environment Day, Himalaya Day and Harela, for making such statements. All the other days are for actions contrary to these statements.
But the women of Helang in Chamoli District came face to face with the brave Uttarakhand Police and CISF jawans. How could they tolerate it that some rural hill woman should cut grass and take it away in front if them! Therefore they used force on that woman and the bundle of grass tied to her back; the greatest danger to the Earth is from that bundle of grass!
The complaint of these women is that their forest land is being destroyed by the company (THDC) constructing the hydel project there which is dumping debris from the tunnel in the forest land. They have written applications against this act and are holding dharnas, but nobody listens to them.
The company owners can dump debris wherever they like and if you protest, your bundle of grass will not be allowed to reach your home: that is the message.
Chamoli District police have clarified on Twitter that some people were obstructing the construction of a sports ground, therefore "at the request of the Administration we extended our cooperation". Snatching away the bundle of grass a woman was carrying – is this a new way of cooperating with the Administration invented by the Police?
So, on the one hand trees were being planted on the occasion of Harela while on the other hand bundles of grass were being snatched away from women who have been protecting and nurturing these hills and trees for hundreds of years and such women were being arrested. Harela photo session in its place, persecution of forest-dependent people in its place!
On 15 July CISF and police personnel at the behest of the hydel project company snatched away bundles of grass from local women in Helang (Joshimath) and took the women to the Thana. Protests were organized against this by CPIML and other organisations on 19 July at various places in Uttarakhand including Karnaprayag. CPIML will organize further protests in the future also against such atrocities. A joint call has also been given by protesting organisations to march to Helang on 24 July.
- Indresh Maikhuri
