Grazers allege Police Interference during Grazing , Report to be filed before July 13th
Budgam, July 6: In a significant development concerning the traditional grazing rights of tribal and other traditional forest dwelling communities, the Court of the Special Mobile Magistrate, Budgam, has directed the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Budgam, to submit a report on allegations that police authorities were interfering with the grazing activities of local residents of Branwar around Chaskaninad meadows in Doodh Ganga forest range bordering Poonch.
The direction came during the hearing of a civil suit filed by members of the local pastoral community of branwar Chadoora seeking recognition of their community grazing rights under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. The plaintiffs have sought a direction to the authorities to initiate the statutory process for recognition of these rights.
Appearing for the plaintiffs, Advocate Shakir Mushtaq Parray submitted before the Court that police officials were unlawfully preventing the community from grazing their livestock at Cheskani Nad Meadow and were harassing them despite grazing being their traditional occupation and primary source of livelihood. It was argued that such interference was causing serious hardship to the pastoral families.
Taking note of the urgency of the matter, the Court directed the SSP, Budgam to file a report indicating whether police authorities are interfering with the grazing activities of the plaintiffs’ livestock at Cheskaninad Meadow. The report is to be submitted before the next date of hearing.
The matter has been listed for 13 July 2026, and a copy of the order has been forwarded to the SSP, Budgam, for compliance.The order is being seen as an important judicial intervention in a dispute involving the livelihood of tribal pastoral communities and the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, which recognises the customary rights of Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers over community forest resources, including grazing areas.
