The Chandrapur district administration has prohibited the transport and sale of dry and green fodder to other districts and outside Maharashtra from October 1, citing the risk of a local shortage as drought conditions worsen across the district.
District Collector Vasumana Pant issued the order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. The restriction will remain in force from October 1 until further orders. The administration has said the measure is intended to retain locally produced fodder for livestock within Chandrapur.
According to the order, 12 of Chandrapur’s talukas have been brought under Trigger-1 drought following the state government’s drought assessment. Officials are concerned that fodder produced in the district could continue to move in large quantities to neighbouring districts and adjoining states for commercial sale, leaving local livestock owners with inadequate supplies in the coming months.
The ban covers green fodder, dry fodder, kadba, chopped fodder, straw, total mixed ration and other livestock feed. It applies to both the movement and sale of these materials from Chandrapur to destinations outside the district and beyond Maharashtra.
Fodder transported under government schemes is exempt from the restriction. The administration has also allowed movement supported by specific authorisation from the Animal Husbandry Department or the district administration. These exemptions are intended to ensure that authorised welfare and supply arrangements can continue while commercial outward movement remains restricted.
The order places the district administration at the centre of managing a resource that is normally traded across administrative boundaries. By restricting outward movement, officials are seeking to prioritise local availability during a period in which the district’s drought classification could affect fodder production and livestock maintenance.
The administration has warned that violations will invite legal action under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Farmers, traders, livestock owners and fodder transporters have been asked to comply with the order and support uninterrupted fodder availability for animals in the district.
The restriction will remain operational until the administration issues further orders. Its continuation and any changes will depend on the district’s drought situation and the authorities’ assessment of local fodder availability.
