Pastoralist Van Gujjars ask why they still need permit to enter their own land

Subject : Environment

Section: Environment laws

Context: Voices of the Van Gujjars have been silenced by restrictions in the form of ‘permits’.

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Van Gujjars have been dwelling with the animals in the forests for centuries. During their summer migration, these tribes go to the buffer areas of the Sankri, Supin and Rupin ranges of Govind Pashu Vihar National Park in Uttarkashi district. Whereas, in winter, they live in the Mohand area of Uttar Pradesh.
Permission for entry is granted annually, according to the Uttarakhand environment and forests department Section-II letter dated May 14, 2013, which comes under Section 4 (5) of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
In the letter, the government is also made to realise that the Van Gujjars do not create any pressure on the forests. Their survival will be nil if they do not earn money from pilgrims, as there will be no water or fodder available in the plains for the following six months.
The implementation of the Scheduled Tribe and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 can solve the issue of seeking permits each year. Chapter II of the Act entails the forest rights of these indigenous communities.

Rights of Pastoralists under Forests Rights Act 2006:

It has ensured that even pastoralists possess rights to access grazing pastures in lieu of the Community Forest Resource right they are eligible for.
- Section 2 (a) prescribes for the rights of pastoral communities on customary common forest land within the traditional or customary boundaries of a village.
It also prescribes the seasonal use of a landscape in case of pastoral communities, including in unclassed forests, reserve forests, un-demarcated forests, deemed forests, protected forests, sanctuaries and national parks.
High Court’s Order:
- Upholds the right of Van Gujjars to migrate to their summer homesteads in the bugyals (Himalayan alpine meadows) located within the Govind Pashu Vihar National Park.
- The court relied on Article 21 (Protection of Life and Personal Liberty) of the constitution.

Van Gujjars

Van Gujjars are the forest-dwelling nomadic community inhabiting the foothills of Himalayan States such as Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
These buffalo herders live among the dry deciduous forests of the Shivalik hills in the winter season. For summer grazing, they travel to high mountain pastures located at 8,000-12,000 feet above sea level. This transhumance practiced by the Van Gujjars is important for the survival of their buffaloes, their livelihood and their fodder management.
The wild buffaloes domesticated by the Van Gujjars cannot survive in excessively hot and cold conditions. In April, with the oldest female buffalo leading the herd, they start walking towards the colder Himalayan region. The scenario repeats itself when they descend in late September.
By the time the Van Gujjars reach the mountains, the Char Dham Yatra also begins. The Van Gujjars sell their milk-made products to tourists to earn a livelihood.
Moreover, the time spent uphill allows for the regeneration of forests in the plains — a good source of fodder for the animals. Thus, the nature of migration remains eco-friendly.