Banepa: Patanjali Yoga Peeth (PYP) founded by Indian yoga guru Swami Ramdev in Kavre district has sold out 243 ropanis of its lands, violating the government´s conditions.

PYP had asked for a waiver in buying 810 ropanis of land to build ayurveda teaching hospital, yoga center, old-age home, children home, herbs research center and yoga school in Kavre. The government had waived the land ceiling on condition that PYP would not sell its land.

During Swami Ravdev´s latest visit to Nepal, however, the government had reversed its condition. As per the government´s new condition, PYP can sell its land but has to utilize money for buying land elsewhere within five years.

Shaligram Singh, Nepal chief of PYP, claimed that PYP sold its land in Nasikasthan, Sanga VDC of Kavre as it was congested. “We found it hard to work as per our plan in Sanga,” Singh said. “Our new plan is to construct Ayurveda hospital by buying land elsewhere.”

However, locals have claimed that PYP sold out the land, acquired under government´s dispensation, at a cheap rate. “The actual price of lands sold by PYP is higher,” Shyam Joshi, a resident of Nasikasthan Sanga village, said. “We sold our land to PYP with the hope that it would develop our village. But, PYP just did business.”

Although PYP sold its land to individuals, a housing company has purchased all lands from them to build 800 apartments for commercial purposes.

source:Guragain, M. (2010),"Patanjali Yoga Peeth land sold out",republica,3 August 2010