Jammu,Dec 11: J&K Youth Hostel Association of India, President, Muhammad Shafi Pandit today said the YHAI apart from promoting adventures was promoting peace and understanding across communities, regions, States and countries.
 Pandit was addressing a function of YHAI after getting re-elected as President for three years through Triennial Election held here today.
 Pandit said, the movement was initially started by a German School Teacher, Richard Schirmann for promoting greater contact between urban and rural youth, using the infrastructure of schools for hostels. He said, now this movement had grown into a global one, not only for promoting adventure and tourism, but also for covering all aspects of good citizenship including concern for preservation of environment and ecology and also preservation of heritage.
 Raja Ajaz Ali Khan lauded the role of Pandit in reshaping the society and for launching a campaign for bringing revolution among youth. He said, YHAI was an umbrella which covers all the aspects of life including study of nature and preservation of heritage. He said, he had been always striving to see youth force strong, healthy and safe by organizing programmes of trekking, mountaineering, boating and other major sports activities.
 YHAI chairman, S P Verma apprised the audience about the achievements registered by YHAI during past three years. He said YHAI conducted a programme of cleaning world famous Dal Lake and provided logistic support to sufferers during recent Ladakh disaster. He said YHAI was doing its best to boost tourism potential of the State by organizing trekking and other expeditions.
 Prof. G.M. Bhat of Geology Department of Jammu University suggested setting up of two units of YHAI in Kashmir and Jammu University so that awareness camps and other activities could be organized by the students of these seats of excellence.
 Shafi Pandit while reacting to this suggestion appointed Prof. Bhat Nodal Officer of YHAI for Jammu University.
 Director Information Kh. Farooq Renzushah said YHAI should continue to play its pivotal role in safeguarding the environment. He also pointed out that recently some report regarding seismological super zoning of the Valley as being issued as a survey in the same manner as in last July Kashgar and East Turkistan was also declared earth quake prone zone.
 He said this is a right forum and right platform that International Hostel Association should take up with the East Turkistan and Kashgar Authorities the issue for demolishing the century old heritage site in Kashgar and east Turkistan with the pretext of earth quake zoning.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 11 Dec 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 11 Dec 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:00:00 IST