The Uttarakhand Forest Training Academy (UKFTA) has introduced free hostel accommodation for students as part of an outreach initiative aimed at promoting ecological education and environmental awareness among the younger generation.
The facility has been launched on an experimental basis for students from government-run educational institutions, with stays initially limited to 15 days.
UKFTA Director Sanjiv Chaturvedi said the initiative was aimed at supporting students, promoting ecological education and enhancing environmental awareness among young people.
According to the academy, the proposal was initiated this month after undergraduate students of Veer Singh Garhwali Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry requested a visit. The students had earlier been charged a fee for staying at the academy’s hostels.
The matter was subsequently reviewed by the academy, which noted that students were being charged the same accommodation rate as state government officials. The proposal said this was not considered justified as students do not have an independent source of income.
Following the deliberations, the academy recommended that hostel accommodation for students be provided free of cost. The proposal, submitted by Chaturvedi on September 9, was approved by the department on September 16.
The facility is currently available only to students of government-run institutions and is capped at 15 days. The academy said the scope and duration could be expanded based on feedback.
The accommodation is being provided at Mayuri Hostel, the academy’s newest facility, which is equipped with modern amenities.
A similar initiative was undertaken in September 2022 under Chaturvedi’s leadership, when he was Chief Conservator of Forests in the Research Wing. At the time, all 26 biodiversity centres in Uttarakhand were opened free of charge for student visits and ecological learning.
(ANI Inputs)
