Kathmandu, April 10
Nepal’s government today rejected calls to use the pandemic lockdown of Mount Everest to stage a clean-up of the world’s highest mountain.
Fluorescent tents, discarded climbing equipment, empty gas canisters and human excrement litter the well-trodden route to the 8,848-metre high summit.
Authorities last month suspended permits for all mountain expeditions over the coronavirus outbreak, forcing the Nepali Army to cancel an ambitious clean-up on six mountains, including Everest.
“It is not possible this season,” Danduraj Ghimire, chief of Nepal’s tourism department told AFP.
Mountaineering organisations say that the coronavirus crisis is a good opportunity to clean-up what is sometimes called the world’s highest garbage dump.
“The government should let a Nepali team just clean the mountain.
Apart from clearing trash, it would give employment to Sherpas who have lost this season’s income,” said Santa Bir Lama, head of the Nepal Mountaineering Association.
Last year, a 14-strong team spent six weeks scouring for litter at the Everest base camp and at Camp 4 — nearly 8,000 metres up. Th
Read the full story on The Himalayan Times
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