Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, May 3: National Heritage Trek Expedition 2012 commenced today with the first batch of 50 trekkers flagged off by President Youth Hostels of Association of India (YHAI), M.S. Pandit.
The trekking expedition has been organised by Youth Hostels of Association of India in collaboration with Directorate of Education and Tourism Jammu, District Administration and Patnitop Developmental Authority.
While addressing the trekkers, Mr. Shafi said “we in Youth Hostelling Movement believe in “Wandering we gather honey” and that is why we are promoting such adventurous activities throughout the world”. He said that Youth Hostelling promotes the participation of youth belonging to lower middle income group in such activities by providing them facilities at no profit no loss basis. He said that the National Heritage Trek has brought Udhampur on the tourist map of India and is marching ahead to find a place in the international tourist map for adventure related activities.
He further said that it was a holistic programme aimed at making the trekkers physically fit, mentally alert and socially useful. He further said that many interventions like understanding of the earth and the universe, the flora and fauna, the wild life, personality development and awareness about Right to Information Act have been added to make the programme more useful and more attractive. He further said that YHAI will open more avenues for trekking in the State like the Mughal Route, the seven lake of Pir Panchal Ranges etc.
District Development Commissioner Udhampur, P. K Pole, said that apart from other benefits trekking expedition will promote National Integration to a greater extent. He assured that the District Administration would provide all possible logistic support for this programme. He further asserted that YHAI should take initiative to expose more areas of the district like Dudu Basantgarh and Ramnagar for such activities.
Chairman YHAI, J&K State branch, Padam Shree S. P. Verma, explained that the programme has succeeded year after year and now the number of trekkers from outside the State has increased from 60 to over 225 during 2012. He further said that efforts have been made to encourage the foreign trekkers to participate in this programme.
State Director Adventure Promotion, YHAI, J & K State Branch, K. K. Gandotra explained that the trekkers will move from Udhampur to Lander in bus via Krimchi temples, Kainth Gali, Deoder Forest Panchari and then trek to Sanasar Nathatop, Patnitop, Mantalai via Karla Temple, Gauri Kund and Sudhmahadev where they will be sensitized about the Flora and Fauna of the state. Rock climbing, rappelling, cricket match and personality development would be the part of the programme, he added.
Among others, Chief Executive Officer, PDA, Dr. Raman Kesar, Chief Education Officer, O.P Sharma, Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Anil Amla, Officials of YHAI were present on the occasion.
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