National Green Tribunal
In Re 5 Jharkhand Forest Officers ... vs State Of Jharkhand on 7 April, 2025
Item No.04 Court No.1
BEFORE THE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL
EASTERN ZONE BENCH, KOLKATA
(THROUGH PHYSICAL HEARING WITH HYBRID MODE)
Original Application No.55/2025/EZ
News item titled: 5 Jharkhand
forest officers attacked by Stone
mafia, appearing in The Times of
India dated 24.03.2025 Applicant(s)
Date of hearing: 07.04.2025
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B. AMIT STHALEKAR, JUDICIAL MEMBER
HON'BLE DR. AFROZ AHMAD, EXPERT MEMBER
For Applicant(s) : Suo Motu,
ORDER
1. The present Original Application is being taken up on the basis of a news item published in the National Daily 'The Times of India' newspaper dated 24.03.2025 under the heading "5 Jharkhand forest officers attacked by stone mafia". The newspaper article reads as under:-
"DALTONGANJ: In an assault underscoring the growing menace of illegal stone mining in Palamu district of Jharkhand, a mob brutally attacked five forest personnel who were conducting a night patrol here, reports MF Ahamd.
The attack occurred when the foresters attempted to seize two boulder-laden tractors. This is the third such attack in just over a month.
The officers sustained injuries to their head, chest, shoulders, ankles, and knees.
Satyam Kumar, divisional forest officer (DFO) of Medinirai, identified a specific person behind the attacks, saying: "This fellow is into stealing rocks and boulders for use in the stone-crushing 1 plants. He arranges the mob and provokes it to attack forest teams."
2. Matter requires consideration.
3. We direct the following members to be impleaded in the array of Respondents:-
i. Department of Forest, Environment & Climate Change, Government of Jharkhand, through the Principal Secretary; ii. District Magistrate & Collector, District- Palamu, Jharkhand; iii. Divisional Forest Officer, Medinirai, Jharkhand; iv. District Mining Officer, Palamu District, Jharkhand; and v. Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board, through its Member Secretary;
4. Issue notice to the Respondents, returnable within four weeks.
5. Ms. Aishwarya Rajyashree, learned Counsel appearing (in Virtual Mode), accepts notice on behalf of the Respondent Nos.1, 2, 3 and 4, State Respondents, Government of Jharkhand.
6. Mr. Surendra Kumar, learned Counsel who is present in Court, accepts notice on behalf of the Respondent No.5, Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board.
7. All the Respondents shall file their counter-affidavits within four weeks with regard to the allegations of illegal mining as published in the news item.
8. The Office of the Tribunal shall provide e-copy/soft copy of the Original Application along with all its annexures to Ms. Aishwarya Rajyashree and Mr. Surendra Kumar, learned Counsel for the Respondents, within 24 hours.
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9. List on 09.07.2025.
..................................... B. Amit Sthalekar, JM .............................................
Dr. Afroz Ahmad, EM April 07, 2025, Original Application No.55/2025/EZ OM 3