India, March 3 -- In its response affidavit submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the forest department has demanded that the revenue department take possession of the encroached reserve forest land and hand it over to the forest department. The forest department has reasoned that this land was earlier in the revenue department's possession and was allocated for different purposes after which it was encroached upon due to negligence on the part of the authorities. The hearing in this case will be held on March 3 wherein officials are likely to demand compensatory land in the western ghats in Maharashtra that will help protect tiger corridors.

The affidavit was submitted by the forest department in response to the principal benc...