Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) urges the government to clean up mountains in Nepal

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

The Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) has urged the government to clean up mountains in Nepal where tourism has been suspended due to the corona virus outbreak.

NMA president Santa Bir said in his proposal that the current partial-lockdown period in the country is the right time to clean up the peaks, including Mt. Everest. Nepal has imposed a partial lockdown suspending international flights, long-distance transport services and shutting down of education institutes.

Nepal’s Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation last week suspended permits for climbing all mountains in the country and stopped issuing tourist visas. Nepal has just one confirmed case of corona virus, but it is at risk due to its proximity with China and India.

Expectedly, the halting of climbing activities in Nepal has panicked tourist business owners and other stakeholders, including porters and expedition operators. However, some mountaineers are viewing this period as an opportunity. “This might be the best time to clean-up the garbage in the mountains that have been piled since many decades,” said mountaineer Mingma Dorji Sherpa.

He said that people from all quarters have demanded cleaning-up of the mountains to conserve them for the future. Piled-up garbage and even rotting carcass are spoiling the beauty of the Himalayas.

Jangbu Sherpa, who has successfully climbed Mt. Everest 16 times, has welcomed the idea of cleaning the peaks. “It is wise to clean Everest as there are no climbers in the Everest area in this season,” he said.

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