The Yamuna Expressway industrial development authority (YEIDA) on Monday started the process of handing over land to yoga guru Ramdev’s Patanjali Yogpeeth. The group is set to begin work on the Patanjali Food and Herbal Park, and Patanjali Ayurveda Limited from Tuesday.
However, the group will not be able to start work on a proposed university, as the 25 acres earmarked for the purpose is stuck in litigation.
YEIDA has allotted 300 acres for the Patanjali Food and Herbal Park and 130 acres for Patanjali Ayurveda Limited in sectors 24, 24A and 22B along a 120m wide stretch of the Yamuna Expressway.
Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, on November 30, 2016, handed over the allotment letter to Patanjali Yogpeeth in Lucknow. The chief minister and Ramdev had promised the creation of 8,000 jobs for local youth. The project entails an initial investment of ₹1,600 crore by Patanjali group.
Landowners of 25 acres that were earmarked for a university have approached the Allahabad high court, refusing to part ways with their land. “All farmers, who own the 25 acres of land have filed a writ in high court so we are handing over land to Patanjali except the 25 acres,” a YEIDA official said.
Ramdev has proposed to develop a world-class university along Yamuna Expressway, which will offer courses that are a blend of Vedic and modern education.
Arun Vir Singh, the chief executive officer of YEIDA, said, “We had reserved 25 acres of institutional land. Since it is under litigation, we will provide the land in an adjacent area. Also, the Patanjali group wants to purchase more land for the university. Once they successfully build a food park, they have proposed to acquire more land for the university.”
Officials of YEIDA visited the site on Monday and distributed hiked compensation to farmers of Kadalpur and Rilkha, where the project is coming up.
“Patanjali will perform a puja at the site and start work. We have earmarked the land required for the project and completed the formalities. We are yet to acquire around 30 acres from farmers to provide the same to Patanjali,” said Singh.
The project will be located around four kilometres from the Buddh International Circuit (BIC), authority officials said. Officials said that besides the creation of 8,000 jobs, the projects will carve out around 80,000 jobs indirectly.
The group will procure products such as milk, vegetables, flowers and other raw material from farmers for the preparation of food items such as ghee, juice, oil.
The proposed food park is estimated to process 400 tonnes of vegetables to make various products. The food park will produce 250 tonnes of biscuits, 750 tonnes of wheat powder and 100 tonnes of oil per day, officials said.
“We do not have any issue if the authority provides us land for the university in a nearby area. We will begin work after performing a Yagya, Vedic rituals. Our mega food park will benefit farmers as we will buy raw material from them,” SK Tijarawala, spokesperson for Patanjali Yogpeeth, said.
