Shimla May, 3: The state government has finally revived the land lease of Yog Guru Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust with the district administration receiving a letter to revive the same as per the lease rules. Significantly, the government had cancelled the lease after assuming power in its first year in February 2013 and now it has been revived in the last year of its tenure. Patanjali officials have been awaiting the lease revival ever since the state Cabinet had given its nod for the same in April.
This paves the way for the trust to resume construction of this Medical Science, Research, Health and Tourism project on which Rs 14 crore have already been incurred by the trust. The trust had moved the state high court following cancellation of the lease as major construction had taken place and its first phase was due to be inaugurated by the Yog Guru a day before the lease was cancelled. The Cabinet had expressed its willingness to revive the lease if the trust withdrew its case. The trust had acceded to this condition in February this year. A subsequent Cabinet meeting held in early April had finally given its consent to revive the lease.
Acting Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Negi, while confirming the news, said a letter has been received today from the state government to revive the lease of 96.02 bigha land at Kehlog village in Kandaghat sub-division as per the existing lease rules. The process to revive this lease would begin as per the norms. The state government after cancellation of the lease had taken the land in its possession.
The land was earlier given on a 99-year lease on payment of Rs 17,31,214 in lump sum and Re 1 was due to be charged as the token lease money every month. The lease was given as per the provisions of the HP Lease Rules, 1993, and it was supposed to be used for the sole purpose of setting up this medical centre. This lease was granted on January 19, 2010 by the previous BJP government and the project had become controversial when the Congress came to power. Though lengthy inquires had been carried out which pointed out glaring irregularities in the grant of this lease but all such issues have now been put on the back burner.
Source Tribune India
