India, April 29 -- The Assam Police Housing Corporation Limited, in an affidavit filed last week to the National Green Tribunal, apologised for illegally clearing forest land to house a police battalion in Innerline Reserved Forest under Hailakandi Division, and also offered to demolish part of the facility so as to make the project eligible for prior environmental clearance.

This undertaking was given by the Assam government after it came to light that they had gone ahead with the construction of the battalion, involving diversion of 11.5 ha of forest land, not only without prior forest clearance but also prior environmental clearance.

In February, the Supreme Court temporarily halted the process of granting ex-post facto or retrospect...