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The Haldwani- based Uttarakhand Forest Training Academy (UKFTA) started free stay facilities for students in its hostels to promote ecological study in the state, as part of a major outreach initiative targeting Gen Z learners.
The facility is being initiated on an experimental basis for students studying in various government-run institutions, for a period of 15 days. Sanjiv Chaturvedi, Director, UKFTA, said the decision was taken for student welfare, to promote ecological education in the state, and to enhance environmental awareness among the younger generation. According to the Academy, the proposal was initiated this month after it received a request for a visit by undergraduate students of Veer Singh Garhwali Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry, who were earlier being charged a fee for staying in the Academy's hostels. The issue was deliberated within the Academy, where it was found that the rate being charged to students was the same as that charged to officials working under the state government, a practice that was not considered justified, since students have no independent source of income, as mentioned in the proposal sent by the Director, UKFTA, on September 9. Following the deliberation, the Academy recommended that student stays in its hostels be made completely free of cost, a proposal that was approved by the department on September 16. The facility, initially offered on an experimental basis, is currently limited to students from government-run educational institutions and capped at a duration of 15 days, though it may be extended further in scope and duration based on feedback. The facility is being provided at Mayuri Hostel, the Academy's newest hostel, equipped with state-of-the-art amenities. In September 2022, a similar initiative was undertaken under Chaturvedi's leadership when he served as Chief Conservator of Forests in the Research Wing; all 26 biodiversity centres in the state were made free for student visits and ecological learning. (ANI)
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