Current Affair 1:

Sacred groves is important this year.

What is the definition?

Sacred groves are considered to be symbols of the primitive practice of nature worship and support nature conservation to a great extent.

These groves are, in general, maintained by rural communities. No governments have been involved in their maintenance so far.

Sacred groves bear different names based on their location.

The total area occupied by sacred groves is an estimated 33,000 hectares. This is 0.01 per cent of India’s total area. Maharashtra has the highest number of groves, with nearly 3,000 documented.

Why sacred groves are important?

In order to meet India’s climate commitment of net zero by 2070, forest conservation is important. But besides government-owned forests, there is a need to protect sacred groves as these can help mitigate climate change by acting as carbon sinks.

If properly managed, climate change can be halted, and people’s close link with nature nurtured. There is often a sense of alienation when communities are relocated to boost conservation.

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