Central committee concerned over encroachment of J&K youth hostels
SUNIL SHARMA. Updated: 8/1/2020 10:28:12 AM
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JAMMU: As the Youth Hostels in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir are continue to be utilized by the government for various purposes, a Parliamentary Committee has expressed concern over the alleged encroachment of these hostels.
The panel was of the view that the authorities in J&K not only have failed to ensure affordable accommodation to the youth but the investment made there was also wasted which has defeated the purpose for which the youth hostels were set up.
Sources said that a team of the Youth Hostels Association of India (YHAI), J&K Chapter, had went on to inspect three youth hostels in J&K after reports poured in about alleged poor maintenance and catering. The hostels included Youth Hostel, Nagrota, Youth Hostel, Patnitop, and Youth Hostel in Srinagar.
During the visit, YHAI team observed that the buildings were in good shape but the maintenance and catering services were up to the mark. The committee was unhappy that the hostels were encroached upon by the government in J&K UT and recommended that the department should take up the issue regarding the removal of encroachments.
Taran Singh, General Secretary, YHAI, J&K Chapter who was one of the members of the visiting team, said: “the report was submitted to the Union Sports Ministry after the visit to all the three Youth Hostels”.
Pertinently, YHAI has a network of more than 95 youth hostels in the country starting from Leh in Ladakh to the Andaman and Nicobar islands. It includes both partnered accommodations under the Licensee Youth Hostels Scheme and the hostels under the direct administration of the YHAI.
The YHAI mission is to enable and promote travel, tourism, adventure spirit, national integration and education and health by providing hostels of good standards to millions of youth of limited means during their travel, besides organising adventure and educational events.
Updated On 8/1/2020 10:30:35 AM