Ms. Basanti Devi
(Environmental Protection)
About Ms. Basanti Devi
- Ms. Basanti Devi, Padma shri-award (2022) winning environmentalist from Pithoragarh (Uttrakhand) known for her contribution towards revitalizing the Kosi river.
- For her efforts in this area, she was also awarded the Nari Shakti Samman.
Social Work
- She launched her campaign in June 2003, when the Kosi registered its lowest summer flow near Almora.
- She started by educating village women not to cut trees for firewood.
- She formed 200 women’s groups called ‘Mahila Mangal Dal’ that pledged to save the river by using only dead wood, planting lakhs of broad-leaved Oka trees, stopping hotels and resorts from siphoning off water, and preventing and putting out forest fires.
- The group’s efforts started resulting in surplus water in the once almost dry area of the Kosi watershed region.