Jaipur: National Green Tribunal (NGT) has constituted a four-member joint committee to investigate alleged illegal soil excavation in Sukad village of Pratapgarh district following the death of a forest ranger who was crushed by a dumper while trying to stop illegal mining.The committee will include representatives of the Union environment ministry’s Jaipur regional office, Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board, district administration and forest department. It has been directed to visit Sukad village and adjoining areas, verify the location, extent and depth of unauthorised excavation and submit a factual and action-taken report within six weeks. State Pollution Control Board will coordinate the exercise.Taking suo motu cognisance of the incident, NGT’s Central Zone Bench, Bhopal, observed that the case raised substantial environmental concerns and pointed to possible regulatory failures.Forest ranger Pratap Singh Chundawat (40), posted at Chhoti Sadri, was killed while performing enforcement duties.According to the order, he and a team intercepted a dumper allegedly carrying illegally excavated soil around 11.30 pm. While escorting the seized vehicle to the Range Office on a motorcycle, the mining operators allegedly rammed another vehicle into him from behind, dragging him nearly 50 metres.Police subsequently seized a JCB machine and a dumper and detained several people, including JCB owner Harish Dhakad.The tribunal observed that extraction and transportation of soil and minor minerals without prior environmental clearance violated the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and the EIA Notification, 2006. It also flagged the alleged failure of the mining department and Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board to check mechanised and unscientific excavation.The bench noted that the activities were causing ecological degradation, soil erosion and damage to topsoil. It said the case also required assessment of environmental damage and recovery of compensation under the ‘polluter pays’ principle.The tribunal also directed the forest and mining departments to report within four weeks on action taken regarding the ranger’s service conditions and payment of benefits following his death while in service.Expressing concern over enforcement failures, the bench observed, “There is no security to the officials who are sacrificing their life for the enforcement of law.”It further noted that the situation indicated continuous illegal mining and a lack of action by the police and mining departments.The tribunal issued notices to the state chief secretary, principal secretary of the environment department, State Pollution Control Board, Pratapgarh collector, forest department, mining director and superintendent of police, seeking their responses.The bench, comprising judicial member Justice Sheo Kumar Singh and expert member Sudhir Kumar Chaturvedi, listed the matter for Dec 17, 2026.
