Which power relation changed in pastoralists' life as the forest department grew stronger?

Correct answer: Local use began depending on forest officials' permission

Forest departments changed who could decide how forests and their resources were used. Earlier, pastoralists often followed customary practices, such as grazing animals in particular areas during suitable seasons. As the forest department became stronger, officials marked boundaries, introduced permits, and enforced rules. Access that had once depended on community practice increasingly depended on official approval. This altered the balance of power between pastoralists and the state.

Option A is correct because local use began to require permission from forest officials. The pastoralists did not become owners, villages did not automatically make all forest laws, and officials did not generally seek permission from the herders. The central idea is a shift from customary access to administrative control over forests and grazing resources.