Kathmandu, June 6

The government has imposed a 10-year ban on mountaineering in Nepal against a Polish climber after he scaled Mt Everest from the Tibetan side and traversed towards Nepal from the roof of the world.

The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation today slapped a 10-year ban on Janusz Adam Adamski, 49, a climber from Szczecin, Poland, from mountain climbing in the country, Durga Dutta Dhakal, director at the Department of Tourism said. “After imposing a mountaineering ban, the tourism police today handed over the climber to the Department of Immigration for further action,” he said.

Janusz is the second climber in the spring season to face a decade-long mountaineering ban for breaching the country’s Tourism Act, Dhakal added. Three weeks ago, the government had imposed a 10-year ban on mountaineering in Nepal against South African climber Ryan Sean Davy, who attempted to climb Mt Everest without climbing permit.

As per the Tourism Act, the government may ban a mountaineering expedition team or any of its member from entering Nepal for a period of up to five years or impose a ban on mountaineering in Nepal for a period of up to 10 years or a fine equal to twice the Mt Everest climbing permit fee, for violating the provisions of the Act or Rules framed thereunder, or conditions specified in the permit.

Ganga Ram Gelal, director general at the Department of Immigration, said Janusz would also be deported from Nepal at the earliest as per the Immigration Act. The Immigration Act-1992 states that the DG may, upon obtaining the approval of the home ministry, issue order requiring the expulsion of a foreigner who has undergone punishment for the commission of acts contrary to the Act or the Rules from Nepal, with or without prescribing the period of time. “Tourist police presented Janusz at the DoI for further investigation today,” he said, adding that his passport was already confiscated.

In his statement to DoT, Janusz claimed that he traversed from the north to south after he was taken ill on the roof of the world. “I chose to descend from Nepal side due to health reasons,” he added. Earlier, Janusz told THT over phone that he reached the summit from North Col on May 21 and started descending from South Col in Nepal the same day, despite knowing that his feat could land him in deep trouble in Nepal.

“Davy and Jansuz had, however, been let off the fine of US$ 22,000 as per the Tourism Act,” DoT Director Dhakal said, without revealing the reasons.

After returning to US, Davy on his Facebook page thanked the DoT officials and others for their acknowledgement of his interests and intentions on the mountain. “Although I spent seven days in jail and have been banned from climbing any mountains in Nepal for 10 years, I have, however, been pardoned of all my wrongdoing and have been granted free passage to return to the US,” the Johannesburg-born but US-based climber added.