PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Uttarkashi
The 15-day Vibrant Village Naturalist Training Programme-aimed at connecting the youth from the border areas with tourism, nature conservation and self-employment- concluded in Bagori village in Harsil Valley on Friday. Certificates were distributed among the trained participants at the closing ceremony held at the Panchayat Bhawan, Bagori. While the divisional forest officer, D P Baluni was the chief guest, the additional director of the Uttarakhand Tourism department, Poonam Chand was the special guest. The event was organised jointly by Uttarakhand Tourism Department and the Tourism and Hospitality Skills Council.
A total of 40 youth from Harsil Valley and surrounding areas of Uttarkashi district received the training. The fortnight-long training provided participants with classroom study as well as practical, field-based training, the organisers said.
During the training, participants were taken on excursions to the Gartang Gali and Mukhwa treks, where they were provided practical information on Himalayan biodiversity, local culture, trekking routes, eco-tourism and responsible tourism.
A number of experts from India and abroad guided the participants. They
provided detailed information on topics such as biodiversity conservation, Himalayan ecology, challenges posed by deforestation, disaster management in mountainous regions, sustainable tourism, environmental awareness and the role of local communities in nature conservation. Several experts also addressed participants online and virtually, bringing international experience and a broad perspective to the training programme.
A highlight of the programme was the active participation of local women and public representatives.
Baluni in his address said that such training programmes in the border areas are creating new job opportunities for local youth. “The trained youth will play a key role in strengthening Uttarakhand’s tourism identity in the future,” he added.
