Bharatiya Environment Activist Alok Shukla Honored With Goldman Environmental Prize 2024 (Green Nobel)

Hello, Everyone!

Alok Shukla has been honored with the esteemed Goldman Environmental Prize to mark his dedicated efforts to safeguard and conserve the Hasdeo Arand forest region that is based in Bharat's Chattisgarh state, in the central part of our country.

Alok Shukla has been honored with the esteemed Goldman Environmental Prize to mark his dedicated efforts to safeguard and conserve the Hasdeo Arand forest region that is based in Bharat's Chattisgarh state, in the central part of our country.

Pic Source: https://news.mongabay.com/2024/04/meet-the-2024-goldman-environmental-prize-winners/

The forest -Hasdeo Arand beholds a diverse ecosystem and a vast expansive forest spanning over 1,70,000 ha of forest land and is known for its biodiversity as well as coal reserves. The forest is situated in the Korba, Surajpur, and Sarguja districts inhabited by the tribal people. The forest is one of the most expansive and natural forests which is undisturbed and untouched by human intervention.

Bharat-based unsung environment hero has contributed largely to protecting the Hasdeo Aranda region for about more than 10 years through his basic grassroots movement- a movement consisting of common people at a localized level to address the potential threat of intrusion by the coal mines in the forest region by major corporations such as the Adani Group.

Alok Shukla's grassroots movement centralizes on galvanizing communities through a proactive people-to-people approach by informing people regarding their rights and garnering support versus the potential threat of coal mining intrusion on their forest land. He has leveraged strategic approaches such as organizing protest marches, and legal proceedings, and influencing policymakers to intensify the perspective of forest inhabitants.

The movement witnessed one of the meaningful milestones in the year 2021; when our government addressed their requests symbolic of taking action on their demands founded an elephant sanctuary and conserved a considerable part of the imperiled forest. This milestone is a testament to the transformative power of a unified approach and employing strategic tactics influencing policymakers in safeguarding their woodland.

The environment activist Alok Shukla's efforts have not been in vain and they have garnered worldwide respect and recognition as he was honored by the Goldman Environmental Prize -also referred to as the Green Nobel Prize. This award honors individuals for their contributions to protecting and enhancing the environment through prolonged advocacy and enduring activism i.e. engaging in continuous and dedicated efforts to conserve the natural environment.

But what is Goldman Environmental Prize?

Also referrred to as Green Nobel; the prize honours people for their continuous and substantial endeavours to conserve and extend environment by overcoming challenges at major personal peril.

This award marks grassroots environment activivists fromabout 6 continents having inhabitation. The continents are :

->Africa

->Asia

->Europe

->Island and Island Nations

->North America

->South and Central America

Regardless of decade long continued efforts and significant successes ; there is still a long way to go in a journey to protest forestland , since considerable area of the woodland is still at peril of being enchroached by coal mines - as new projects have initiated with their setup or are making strategies to extend their coal mine projects over large area of forest land. The environment activist -Alok Shukla with his team of activists are not going to get stymied these challenges .They are still on a mission to protect the forest land and they are on a sit-down demonstration to stop further intrusion on forest land.

Alok Shukla and his team of activists 's persistant struggle highlightes the priority struggle amid economic development and environmental conservation prevailent in our country and alsos countries like us where coal caters the energy requirements.

Conclusively, we can say that Alok Shukla's tale of unwavering determination and dedication in proactively engaging in environmental conservation by employing tactics such as -grassroots movement underscores the meaningful and valuable approach of grassroots movements against authorittavtive establishment overriding the intrrests , perspectives, and well - being of inhabitants and natural environment.

Thank You.

References:

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/indian-forest-activist-alok-shukla-awarded-the-goldman-environmental-prize/article68124978.ece