'On Environment Day, recognise Bishnois for saving trees'

A young farmer has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi on World Environment Day to get global recognition for 363 Bishnois who died protecting trees they held sacred in an 18th century precursor to the Chipko movement.

Vishek Vishnoi's movement to get recognition for the sacrifice of the Bishnoi community in 1730 is named 'Mission Global 363'.

According to the legend popular among the environment-conscious Bishnois, 363 members of the community led by Amrita Devi died while protecting the Khejri trees being felled to build a palace for the Maharaja of Jodhpur.

They hugged the trees they held sacred. Upset over the bloodshed, the maharajah later called off the felling of the trees.

The young farmer from Jodhpur wants recognition in the country and abroad for the sacrifice of those people in Khejarli village.

It was a historic thing that 363 people made the supreme sacrifice to protect trees in 1730 AD, Vishnoi told PTI.

The community very well understands the importance of environment and India can present a very good example of environment protection by globally highlighting this incident, he said.

I have been demanding the status of martyrs to those who sacrificed their lives. I held dharnas in Jodhpur, Jaipur and recently in Delhi, he said.

In Delhi, Union Minister of State for Water Resources Arjun Ram Meghwal had assured the activists of all possible help in their mission, he said.

He also demanded that the place where the sacrifice took place in Jodhpur district should be given the status of a Unesco world heritage site.

He said the incident should be highlighted in the school syllabus so that the new generation gets to know about it.

Vishnoi has been seeking support through social media over the last few years in his mission.

His father Ranaram Vishnoi is known for planting thousands of trees in Rajasthan's arid areas.

Thousands of trees that my father planted selflessly are alive today, and his efforts and love towards nature inspired me to work for those for whom trees are more important than their lives, he said.

Khejarli village is located 30 km from Jodhpur and an annual fair is held to mark the 1730 episode.

The Environment Ministry also confers an Amrita Devi Bishnoi award for contribution to wildlife protection.