THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after spiritual leader Sri M’s Satsang Foundation claimed that it had not received any intimation from the state government on allotting four acres in Thiruvananthapuram, the revenue department has come out with a government order (GO) sanctioning it.
Though released only on Thursday, the GO was issued by Revenue Principal Secretary A Jayathilak on February 26, the day the Election Commission of India had announced the dates for assembly elections. The order followed a request from the district collector in that regard. While the market value for four acres comes to Rs 17.48 crore, the annual lease amount has been fixed at Rs 34.96 lakh. The GO says the land should be used only for the purpose mentioned in their application, to set up a Yoga and Research Centre at Cheruvakkal village.
The land -- with resurvey numbers 647/9, 671/3 and 647/8 -- is in the possession of the Kerala State Housing Board and is being leased out for 10 years.The GO also contains a series of instructions stating that the land cannot be pledged in a finance institution, or given on re-lease or rent. The Satsang Foundation has to ensure that the land is not encroached on in any manner. Nor can the trees there be cut. If it has to be cut, the revenue department’s permission has to be sought and three times the number of trees cut have to be replanted.
While the lease period has to be renewed every three years, the lease amount has to be paid during the first three months of the fiscal year. In future, if land is required for road widening or for other infrastructure development, it has to be given to the state government sans request for compensation. If any of the stipulations are breached or the institute becomes defunct, the revenue department will take the land back, the GO said.