Nepal launches “Save Mt. Everest” campaign

The Mount Everest cleaning mission is scheduled to start from this April will runs till June 2012. Mount Everest, also known locally as Sagarmatha, is the highest summit (8,848 m) in the world.

The Mount Everest cleaning mission is scheduled to start from this April will runs till June 2012. Mount Everest, also known locally as Sagarmatha, is the highest summit (8,848 m) in the world. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is located in the Himalayan range on the border between Nepal and Tibet. Ever since the first attempts to scale the mountain in the early 1920s, Mount Everest has inspired and attracted people from all over the world.

Wangchu Sherpa president of ESA said that increase in the number of visitors to the Everest region in recent decades has also brought serious strains and severe negative impacts of garbage around Mount Everest, as well as many popular trails in and around Sagarmatha National Park.

โ€œMany activities aiming at solving the problem of solid waste have been conducted but there is still no functional waste management system in place,โ€ he said, adding that locals have less experience in handling such large amounts of rubbish in an environmentally sustainable way.

The overall goals of the project are to conserve and manage the rich biological diversity of Everest National Park (Sagarmatha National Park), emphasize on solid waste management and support and strengthen local communities towards biodiversity conservation.

The mission aims to collect approximately eight tons of garbage from Mt Everest and along the trekking routes of Lukla to Everest Base Camp. The mission will set up 15 waste management plants, and operate and manage local institutions for waste management systems through 100 specially trained people.

The project enjoys full support of the government through the Ministry of Environment and Science, which will introduce new environmental regulations for climbing expeditions as well as for trekking groups to the Everest region.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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