12 years on, Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust fails to utilise leased land

Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust has done little on the 96-bigha land re-allotted to it at Kehlog village near Sadhupul in March 2017 by the previous Congress government after its lease was cancelled in February 2013.

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Though security staff has been deputed by the Trust and the land has been fenced, nothing has been done to set up a branch of the Yoga and Ayurveda medical science research and health centre for which it was given on lease by the previous BJP government in 2013.

Solan Deputy Commissioner Manmohan Sharma when quizzed said, “I have sought a report from the Kandaghat SDM about the utilisation of land leased out to Patanjali Yogpeeth in 2013.”

“An employee was entrusted the task to look after an office operational at the site. No activity was, however, underway on the said piece of land to setup a medical science research and health centre,” confirmed the revenue officials.

Kandaghat SDM Sidharth Acharya added that the Kandaghat Tehsildar has been asked to submit a report mentioning whether the terms and conditions for which the said land was leased out to the Patanjali Trust have been adhered to.

Pertinently, the Cabinet had approved the said project on January 8, 2010 during the tenure of former Chief Minister PK Dhumal and the lease was registered on February 2, 2010. The stone of this centre was laid on June 20, 2010 by Dhumal and the project had run into rough weather following the change of regime in 2012. The Virbhadra-led Congress government had taken possession of this centre shortly before Ramdev could inaugurate its first phase on February 27, 2013. The cancellation was challenged by the Trust in the court, but they were asked to withdraw the case by the state government in order to seek re-allotment of the land. The condition was duly adhered to by the Trust, following which it was re-allotted in 2017.

An expenditure of Rs 14 crore had been incurred on this centre in the first phase and a similar amount was supposed to be spent on its subsequent development. A medical centre where advance diagnostic tests were supposed to be conducted were planned for this site, but all plans were abandoned after the cancellation of the lease by the previous Congress government.

As per a letter dated January 19, 2010, a recommendation to lease the land on an annual lease rent of Rs 6.66 lakh was made, but the lease amount was fixed at Rs 17,31,214 and Re 1 token lease.