Kathmandu, April 18:

Even as the Tibetan protest across the world threatens to mar the spirit of the Beijing Olympics, back home, the Olympic flame has ignited dissent among mountaineers.

The cause of gloom for Everest climbers stems from the fact that a series of restrictions have been imposed on them until May 10 when the Olympic torch reaches the Everest Summit. The Nepal government’s stand comes in the wake of a heightened concern of the Chinese government towards ensuring a safe passage for the beleaguered torch.

The restrictions imposed on the mountaineers include prohibition of taking pictures or sending

out any news clipping about their Himalayan expedition to the world outside. Moreover, they cannot proceed beyond Camp 3, at a height of about 7,000 metre. Liason officials have reportedly been posted at various points to ensure that the restrictions are strictly adhered to.

The restrictions understandably come as a dampener for the expedition teams which left for the base camp in March.

However, according to Nepal Tourism Board, the team leaders had been duly briefed about the restrictions by the Tourism Ministry before being handed the permit. While the mountaineers initially expressed their consternation and anger at being deprived of taking pictures or proceed beyond a certain point, they relented and gave an undertaking, following which they were given the permit.

“Technically speaking, the restriction about going beyond Camp 3 until May 10 does not make much of a difference, as anyways mountaineers need time to acclimatise their bodies to high altitudes and gradually ascend,” said mountaineering expert and head of Himalaya Expedition, Bikrum Pandey. They would need to spend about a week at Camp 3 to proceed further, he added.

Everest climbers reach the last fixed camping spot at South Col or Camp 4 at a height of about 7,926 meters. It is from here that the climb to the summit begins.

A senior NTB official confessed the western media, in particular, was piqued at these restrictions imposed by the government on the request of the Chinese

government.

“But the Olympic Torch has to be protected at all cost. It is unreasonable on the part of westerners to make such a fuss about these restrictions, which are only temporary. In any case, people should respect the laws of the land they are travelling in,” said the official.