Banni grassland to be cleared of encroachments 
Nimesh Khakhariya http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/85989269.cms Sep 7, 2021
Gujarat’s biggest anti-encroachment drive is currently on at Kutch’s Banni grassland, which accounts for almost 45% of state’s pastures.
Encroachments, mostly pastoral and agricultural farms, on 540 hectares were cleared in the first five days. Still, the drive is in its early days with more than 8,000 hectares still to be freed of encroachment.
A voluntary organization ‘Sahjeevan’, working for the ‘Maldharis’, is running a pastoralism center in the area. “This area was declared a protected forest in 1955 but the forest department has not settled the rights of locals.
As per law, the claims of the local residents have been approved but they were never awarded the titles of the land. If this seven-decade old issue is solved, it will also help in stopping encroachments,” Ramesh Bhatti, program director of the pastoralism center, said.
See: https://centreforpastoralism.org/