Uttaranchal’s green wedding

dehra dun: uttaranchal witnessed a novel movement to save the environment in the 70s, the chipko movement. two decades later, the hill people have evolved yet another novel way to save the eco-system — a tree by each bride-and-groom combine on their wedding. while during the chipko movement, the environmentalists would cling to trees to stop their felling, this time people have decided to celebrate marriages and anniversaries by planting trees.''the aim is to create an emotional attachment to the environment,'' said a villager. a tree by a bride-and-groom concept was born during the recently concluded doon valley watershed management project, sponsored by the european union. costing more than rs 100 crore and covering more than 350 villages, the project ''has not only achieved the regeneration of the eco-system, but also enhanced living standards,'' said the eu president and belgium's ambassador in india, guy trouveroy, at the concluding ceremony at kherimann singh village in the outskirts of dehra dun. the benefits of panchayati raj under the 73rd amendment may not have reached the rural people yet, but the doon project was the first people's programme. the project's coordinator w s aitkens said, ''this holistic programme covering farm promotion, fuel procurement, irrigation facilities, afforestation, solar energy, livestock betterment and adult literacy was truly a people's programme. people banded together in gaon resource management associations (garemas) to chalk out their plans. we just financed and supervised.'' thanks to the achievements under the doon project, bala devi, the pradhan of kherimann singh, is a picture of confidence. ''before the ec came to our help, no minister or official ever bothered to come to us. now that this programme has empowered us, the same officials come running,'' she said at the concluding function. thanks to the quality seeds, she continues, the output of potato, basmati, peas and ginger has gone up many times under the programme. ''availability of lpg, gas and stoves has spared women the drudgery of fuel collection. as a result, the forests are saved. and women can attend literacy classes.'' another revolutionary step under the project was the promotion of bank savings by women. ''almost all women save now and can get bank loans at an interest rate of just one per cent,'' added bala devi. the villagers have also created revolving funds to upkeep the assets the project has created. ''here we go ... out, and you people will maintain what we have created,'' said the ec president.