KATHMANDU, JUNE 5

The Nepali Army removed 11000 kg of waste from mountains including Everest, Lhotse, and Nuptse as part of their Mountain Clean-Up campaign-2024, with the slogan 'An endeavour to save the Himalayas,' as well as four dead bodies and one human skeleton.

On Wednesday, the Nepali Army held a flag-in ceremony in Kathmandu to commemorate World Environment Day, claiming that it was made possible under the Safa Himal Campaign-2024.

Addressing the closing ceremony, Chief of the Army Staff Prabhu Ram Sharma stated that, despite the adverse weather and conditions, approximately 11 tons of garbage, four human corpses, and one skeleton were collected during this campaign.

He stated that the importance of the campaign cannot be measured solely by the amount of garbage collected during its 55-day duration. He highlighted some of the campaign's achievements both before and after the campaign, as well as the Nepali people's international commitment to nature and environmental protection.

'Despite the adverse weather and conditions, approximately 11 tons of garbage, four abandoned human bodies, and one skeleton were collected during this campaign. This is an achievement mission as well as a readiness mission in which we have demonstrated our ability to complete our work in accordance with the goals and objectives we have established and accepted,' he stated.

'However, as I stated during the flag-in ceremonies, data on garbage collection is only one of its standards. The amount of garbage collected during this campaign, which lasted about 55 days, does not reveal its importance. This is only the beginning. Some of the campaign's achievements, both during and after the campaign, have demonstrated the Nepali people's international commitment to nature and environmental protection. Which is a source of pride for all Nepalis.'

Sharma also stated that using 10,000 troops for environmental protection in a country with nearly a lakh troops is exemplary. According to him, the army is rarely deployed for nature conservation work in the country.

'The Nepali Army has also been trained in the Safa Himal campaign to deal with calamities and other situations in the high Himalayas. Running a clean-up campaign is a complex, challenging and adventurous task, as most of the mountains are now melting,' Sharma added.