Himachal govt restores land lease to Patanjali

SHIMLA : The Himachal Pradesh government has restored the lease for land to Yog Guru Ramdev-headed Patanjali Yogpeeth near Sadhuphul in Solan district. The state revenue department has written a letter to Solan deputy commissioner Vinod Kumar directing him to restore the lease to the trust for setting-up a herbal garden and charge one-time concessional lease money for 93 bigha of land.

Revenue department under Himachal Pradesh lease rules, 2013, and HP lease (amendment) rules, 2016, will charge lump sum lease amount of ₹2,21,73,506. “As the trust has already deposited stamp duty and registration fee of ₹5,91,700 and ₹29,91,000 through e-challan. As per cabinet decision, this may be adjusted while signing the new lease deed. Lease amount will be required to be deposited by trust on or before execution and registration of fresh lease deed within six months,” the government directions stated.

Prem Kumar Dhumal-headed government in 2008 gave its nod to Patanjali Yogpeeth for establishing a branch of Yog and Ayurved Medical Science Research and Health Tourism and for setting up a herbal plant and medicinal plant at Chaudha in Solan district, later site was changed to Kahlog. The land originally belonged to the erstwhile royal family of Patiala and was later gifted to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Further, Indira Gandhi had gifted the land to the state government for setting up a holiday home for national cadet corps.

Jai Ram Thakur led-government during the cabinet meeting on November 20 gave its nod to restore the lease to Ram Dev’s trust.

The opposition Congress and the left parties have been crying foul over the extension of lease to Patajanali Yogpeeth.