Request for disclosing the particulars of Gochar/grazing land available in each village and make the same available for grazing of cows in respective states dated 23 to 02 2021

The Animal Welfare Board of India issued a circular dated 23 Feb 2021 directing state and local authorities to disclose and make village gochar (grazing land) available for cow grazing. The circular applies to all state governments, chief secretaries, deputy commissioners and village or municipal bodies, and it invokes the Supreme Court of India judgments of 12 Jan 2011 (State of Jharkhand & Ors. v. Pakur Jagran Manch & Ors.) and 28 Jan 2011 (Jagpal Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors.) which prohibit encroachment of common village land and require that any conversion of gochar for non‑grazing use be resisted. The Board reiterates that at least five percent of a village’s total area must remain gochar under section 38(2) of the Tenancy Act, and that any de‑reservation must be matched by an equivalent alternative area. It instructs the jurisdictional Deputy Commissioner to prepare a note explaining why gochar is required for a non‑grazing public purpose, to forward a de‑reservation proposal to the state government, and to obtain suggestions or objections from villagers before sanction. If the state grants approval, the Deputy Commissioner must record the de‑reservation, re‑classify the land and provide replacement gochar promptly. The circular requests the required information be submitted by e‑mail to animalwelfareboard@gmail.com or awbi@md3.vsnl.net.in, or by fax to 044‑24571016, stating “the Board requests you to kindly provide the details of Gochar/grazing land … and the same may be made readily available for grazing of cows.” Community animal feeders and citizens can cite the circular when seeking access to village grazing spaces from local authorities.