Question

Explain any four laws introduced by colonial government in India that changed the lives of pastoralists.

Answer 1

a) Wasteland Rules To the colonial officials, all uncultivated land appeared to be unproductive.
The Colonial Government wanted to bring the grazing lands under cultivation so that they could get revenue and agricultural goods from this land. '
Effects of the Wasteland Rules According to Wasteland Rules, the uncultivated lands were taken over and given to select individuals who were granted concessions and encouraged to setde these lands. Therefore, expansion of cultivation inevitably meant the decline of pastures and created problems and hardships for the pastoralists.
(b) Forest Acts By the mid-19th century, various Forest Acts were also being enacted in the different provinces of India. Through the Forest Acts, the forests were divided into two categories: Reserved Forests and Protected Forests.
Effects of the Forest Acts Pastoralists could no longer remain in an area even if forage was available. They could enter only by getting a permit for entry.
If they overstayed the specified period of time, they were liable to fines. Their lives became difficult and full of hardships. Their traditional rights were severely restricted.
(c) Criminal Tribes Act The British officials were suspicious of nomadic people. They distrusted mobile craftsmen and traders who hawked their goods in villages and pastoralists who changed their places of residence every season, moving in search of good pastures for their herds.
Effects of Criminal Tribes Act After this act was enforced, these communities were expected to live only in notified village setdements. They were not allowed to move out without a permit. The village police kept a continuous watch on them. They could no longer move from one place to another.
(d) Grazing Tax The Grazing Tax in India was introduced by the Colonial Government in the mid-19th century. Pastoralists had to pay tax on every animal they grazed on the pastures. The tax per head of cattle went up rapidly and the system of collection was made increasingly efficient.
Effects of the Grazing Tax To enter a grazing tract, pastoralists had to show the pass and pay the tax. Pastoralists had to pay tax on every animal they grazed on the pastures. The tax went up rapidly. So, the economic / hardship of the pastoralists increased.
Note In the examination, this question will not be asked completely. Only its one or two sub-parts will be asked.

Answer 2

Answer:

(1) Waste Land rules: All grazing lands were considered 'waste land' by the colonial rulers as they brought no revenue to them. If this land could be transformed into cultivated farmland, it would result in an increase in land revenue and production of crops such as jute, cotton, and wheat. This is why the Waste Land rules were formulated. However, they sounded the death knell for pastoralists because an increase in cultivated land meant an obvious decline in pastures and a consequent loss of a means of livelihood for them.

(2) Forests Acts: These were enacted to protect and preserve forests for timber which was of

commercial importance. These acts changed the life of pastoralists. They were now prevented from entering many forests that had earlier provided valuable forage for their cattle. They issued permits which monitored their entry and exit into forests. They could not stay in the forests as much as they liked because the permit specified the number of days and hours they could spend in the forests.

(3) Criminal Tribes Act: The British government eyed nomadic people with suspicion and disregard on account of their continuous movement. They could not be tracked down or placed in one particular place, unlike rural people in villages who were easy to identify and control. Hence, the colonial power viewed nomadic tribes as criminal. The Criminal Tribes Act was passed in 1871 and it further ruined the lives of the pastoralists who were now forced to live in notified settlements and were disallowed from moving out without a government permit.

(4) Grazing Tax: It was imposed by the colonial government to expand its revenue income. Pastoralists had to pay a tax on every animal they grazed on the pastures. This right was now auctioned out to contractors. They extracted as high a tax as they could, to recover the money they had paid to the state and earn as much profit as they could. Later the government itself started collecting taxes. This created problems for the pastoralists who were harassed by tax collectors. It also became an economic burden on them.