Jaipur, Jan. 29 -- The Central Zone Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Bhopal, has sought a personal affidavit from the divisional forest officer (DFO), Alwar, while expressing serious concern over the conduct of forest officials in a case involving alleged illegal mining on forest land in Rajasthan. The bench, comprising justice Sheo Kumar Singh (judicial member) and Sudhir Kumar Chaturvedi (expert member), passed the directions while hearing an application. The Tribunal was examining allegations of illegal mining activities in forest areas on the basis of a Joint Committee report submitted after a site inspection. During the hearing, allegations were raised that mining operations were allowed to continue within forest land without any effective objection from the forest department. NGT also took note of submissions pointing out that the forest department had earlier issued No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for mining activities in areas that were later claimed to be forest land, raising questions over contradictory stands taken by the authorities. NGT directed the DFO, Alwar, to file a personal affidavit explaining the factual position based on actual measurements with fixed reference points, and the circumstances under which earlier NOCs were issued without proper verification of the forest status of the land. The respondents have been asked to file their replies within two weeks. The matter has been listed for further hearing on February 26....