Vanishing Meadows: Loss of Grazing Pastures Pushing Bakerwals to the Margins

On the outskirts of Kanelwan village, near Bijbehara, a tent made of sticks and tarpaulin barely stands against the bitter winter winds. Inside, 75-year-old Bashir Ahmad, a nomad from the Bakerwal tribe, lies on a thin mattress, his frail body gives away a tale of a lifetime of battling hardships.

His wife, Haleema, sits nearby, her tired eyes revealing the weight of countless struggles.

“He’s too sick to work most days,” she says, glancing at him. “The meadows we depended on are gone. What else can we do?”

The Bakerwals, who once roamed freely across Kashmir’s lush meadows, find survival harder.

Their grazing lands have been taken over—and turned into tourist spots or private properties. Livestock theft and poisoning have become common, leaving families like Bashir’s on the edge.

The Bakerwals attribute these incidents to various factors. Some community members suspect that individuals involved in land encroachment and illegal land conversions may be responsible, aiming to displace the Bakerwals from their traditional grazing areas. Additionally, tensions with local farmers and conflicts with wildlife conservation authorities have been noted, which may have contributed to such incidents.

For Haleema, survival now means doing it all alone. She cares for the livestock and keeps the family going, even as every passing day feels heavier than the last. “We’ve lost not just the land,” she says. “We’ve lost our identity.”

Living on the Edge

Nearby, in another makeshift tent, Gulzar Ahmad, Bashir’s son, shares his woes. With four young children to feed, he works as a labourer in Bijbehara, earning just enough to scrape by. His tent is the sole shelter for the family. Even as it barely offers protection to them from the biting cold, it’s all he can afford.

Each of the about dozen tiny tents that dot the landscape houses about four to five people.

“We’ve gone from being shepherds in the meadows to workers in towns,” Gulzar says, visibly exhausted. Yet, despite the hardships, he takes time for his children, often playing with them after a long day. “They’re the only thing that keeps me going,” he says with a feeble smile.

But the younger generation is losing touch with their roots. Children who would have grown up learning to herd sheep and weave wool now spend their days in tents on the edges of urban towns, far from the life their ancestors knew.

A Daily Struggle

In another tent in the far end corner of the camp, the rhythmic whirring of sewing machine, over which a woman is slumped, is heard.

She continues her work and briefly pauses to say that she had to leave school in the eighth grade because her family couldn’t afford it. Now, tailoring is her lifeline, helping her contribute to the family’s meager income.

Not everyone is as fortunate. Aamir, once the only graduate in his community, lost a leg in an accident two years ago. Sitting with his sons, he speaks about his shattered dreams. “I wanted to change things for my people,” he says, his voice trembling. “Now, I can’t even support my own family.”

His wife now works tirelessly to feed their three children, while Aamir feels like he has become a burden.

A Fight for Survival

The Bakerwals’ struggles are not just about poverty — they’re about being forgotten. With no land rights and little government help, they’ve been pushed into a corner. Displaced from their traditional meadows, many have no choice but to take up unstable, low-paying jobs. Others, like Haleema, hold on to their traditional way of life, but it’s becoming harder every day.

Haleema talks about how their livestock — once their most precious resource — is now at constant risk. “Sheep get stolen, poisoned,” she says. “What can we do against this?”

Hopes for the Future

Despite everything, the Bakerwals refuse to give up. “Once, we wandered freely in the meadows,” Haleema says, her voice steady despite the sadness. “Now we are trapped, but we can’t stop—not for us, but for our children.”

Their resilience is inspiring, but their future remains uncertain. Activists and community leaders believe immediate action is needed. Providing land rights, access to education, and stable livelihoods could help secure a better future for the Bakerwals.

For now, life in Kanelwan is a daily fight against the odds. When the sun sets, the families huddle inside their tents, preparing for another long, cold night.

Their story is one of survival, but also a reminder of how much they have lost—and how much they still fight to protect.

[i] The transformation of government or forest land into private properties in regions like Sonamarg and Pahalgam, traditionally used by the Bakerwal community for grazing, has been facilitated through several legal and administrative changes:

Repeal of Protective Land Laws: In 2019, the Indian government revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special autonomous status by abrogating Articles 370 and 35A of the Indian Constitution. This move led to the repeal of several land laws that previously restricted the transfer of land to non-residents. Notably, the Jammu and Kashmir Alienation of Land Act, 1938, which prohibited the transfer of agricultural land to non-state subjects, was repealed. This change opened the door for outsiders to purchase land in the region.

Amendments Allowing Land Use Conversion: The Jammu and Kashmir Prohibition on Conversion of Agricultural Land for Non-Agricultural Purposes Act, 2010, was designed to prevent the conversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes. However, subsequent amendments and the introduction of new rules, such as the Jammu and Kashmir Agricultural Land (Conversion for Non-Agricultural Purposes) Regulation, 2022, have provided mechanisms for land use conversion. These regulations outline procedures and fees for converting agricultural land to non-agricultural purposes, thereby facilitating the development of tourism infrastructure on former grazing lands.

Implementation of the Roshni Act: The Jammu and Kashmir State Lands (Vesting of Ownership to the Occupants) Act, commonly known as the Roshni Act, was enacted with the aim of regularizing unauthorized land and generating revenue. However, its implementation faced allegations of irregularities, leading to the transfer of significant amounts of land into private ownership under contentious circumstances. Investigations revealed that the Act was misused, resulting in the illegal transfer of state and forest lands to private entities, including influential individuals.

These legal changes and their implementation have collectively enabled the conversion of government and forest lands into private properties, often for tourism development. This process has significantly impacted the Bakarwal community by reducing their traditional grazing areas and disrupting their nomadic lifestyle.