It was first started in the Chamoli district in the year 1973 and from there it spread to the other parts of the country. There is one very famous story about the girl, Amrita Devi, who died while trying to save the trees grown in her village. The village was under the rule of the local Maharaja, who desired to built a palace for his family. He ordered his servants to bring wood from the nearby village. When the wood cutters arrived the village to cut the tress, Amrita and other women of the village jumped in front of the trees and hugged them. She said they will have to cut her first before the trees. The servants were helpless to follow the orders and cut the tree. Amrita Devi died on the spot. Before offering her head to the Maharajas servants, Amrita enchanted :- “seir santhe runkh raheb, to bhee sastojan” (it is still a small price to pay if at the cost of my head the tree is saved).
The incident inspired the several other rural womens, who in 1970's launched such similar movements in different parts of India. The incident inspired the several other rural womens, who in 1970's launched such similar movements in different parts of India.It is really surprising that the women of that age were better aware about the significance of forests. The rural women in India actively participated in the movement, who knows about deforestation and its future consequences. Some of the key women leaders who fought