G.O. (Ms.) No. 186, Grazing Poramboke Lands Not to Be Converted for Any Other Use, 2001

What the government order governs

The Government of Tamil Nadu, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Department, issued Government Order (Ms.) No. 186 dated 11 December 2001 to protect existing grazing poramboke land. The department noted that traditional grazing lands were being used without restriction for construction and other purposes, reducing the land available to provide adequate fodder for livestock.

The government directed that existing grazing land must not be transferred to other government departments for other works. The requirements apply when a government department or public institution seeks grazing land for another purpose.

Conditions for an unavoidable conversion

Government Order (Ms.) No. 186 permits an exception only where transferring grazing land becomes necessary. The following conditions apply:

• Before the District Collector sends a proposal, the District Collector must select replacement land within the same district.
• The replacement land must have an area equal to the grazing land proposed for transfer.
• The replacement land must be designated for use as grazing land.
• Bushes must be removed, and the land must be levelled and ploughed.
• Farmyard manure must be applied and grass seeds must be sown to create suitable grazing land.
• The department or public institution requiring the original grazing land must bear the development cost.

The prescribed development cost is Rs. 6,000 per acre or Rs. 15,000 per hectare.

Management of replacement grazing land

The Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Department requires the development amount to be kept in the account of the relevant local body and spent on grazing land improvement. Relevant government departments must provide all necessary advice for the work.

The local body must allow livestock belonging to the surrounding area to graze free of charge on the replacement grazing land. Local bodies are also instructed to frame procedures and take the necessary action to develop the land using the money received.

Relevance to land checks

A property buyer, owner or professional dealing with government land classified as grazing poramboke should note that the classification is protected from conversion for other uses. Any proposal involving such land must account for an equal replacement area in the same district, its development funding, and its continued availability for free local grazing.