Rights vs Regulations:The Grazing Act and its Impact in Malabar

Abstract

The advent of British colonialism in India brought social,economic and environmental changes. The colonial modernity and modalities which redesigned the entire life and structure of the  natural settings in the Malabar region. Malabar was a part of Madras presidency after the Sreerangapattanam Treaty and after the acquisition of power and formation of the Malabar district the Britishers gave more importance to this area. The natural wealth of the Malabar, especially the natural forest attracted them without any hindrances. Thus they started the interventions in the form of various colonial policies and programs. In such interventions the formation or classifications of forest into various categories were more notable and the introduction of Forest Acts. The Forest Acts and the Grazing Acts and other restrictions reconfigured the everyday life of the Malabar.