KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 12
To mitigate the rapid impact of climate change on the fragile Himalayan ecosystem, the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality has enacted Base Camp Management Procedure 2024 to manage human activities in the base camps located across the foothills of various mountains in the region, including Mt Everest.
While the climbers were required to bring back their wastes from the mountains in the past as well, the new procedure will help effectively implement it, ultimately keeping the mountains clean.
As per the new regulations, climbers are also required to carry a poop bag or biodegradable bag to manage and bring back their waste from higher altitudes of the mountains. Mountaineers looking to scale Mt Everest, Mt Nuptse, and Mt Lhotse will have to bring back at least eight kilograms of waste and three kilograms from Mt Amadablam under the 'Leave No Trace' principles, while expedition teams are required to maintain cleanliness around their respective campsites.
Also, expedition teams will now be required to have an inventory of items required above the base camps and submit it to the local authorities. They will then have to bring back the items after completion of the expedition. Tour and expedition agencies will be responsible for retrieving the body of their respective high altitude professional, including mountain guides, porters, and trekking guides in the case of death during mountaineering expeditions. They will be given the 'Garbage Clearance Letter' only after the bodies are recovered and wastes are disposed of according to the prescribed method by the municipality.
As per Dorjee Sherpa, a local resident at the base camps, climbers will defecate in the toilet tents, which have drums into which human waste goes and are later carried down the mountain for disposal.
Meanwhile, Rakesh Gurung, director of the Department of Tourism (DoT), said, "While waste from the base camp and lower camps are manageable, collecting them from high camps has been difficult. As part of the new procedure, expedition operators and climbers will have to follow the new provisions set by the local government and will have to bring back the items and waste from the higher camps," he said.
Gurung also shared that the municipality, in collaboration with the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), the DoT, and the Nepali Army, among other stakeholders, has been managing waste from the higher camps of the mountains in the region every year and the new working procedure implemented by the municipality will help further manage the items used and brought back from the expeditions and keep the mountains clean.
"The Nepali Army, in collaboration with local authorities and stakeholders, is also making preparations for the next mountain cleanup campaign and it is expected that at least five dead bodies will be retrieved from Mt Everest and Nuptse.
A joint committee of officials from the Nepali Army, Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality, and the DoT will further work to manage human activities above base camps to mitigate any risks affecting the sensitive Himalayan ecosystem," he added.
In addition, helicopters carrying expedition materials will be limited to Syanboche, a half-hour journey by foot above Namche Bazaar. After this, yaks and porters will transport the materials to higher altitudes.
Helicopters will not be allowed to fly above the base camps of respective mountains in the regions except for rescue operations. As many as three helipads will be designated for use at the base camp site. Individuals are also mandated to follow regulations as required by the law to conduct any sort of adventure tourism activities in the region.
The municipality has also given special priority to the arrangement of equipment and camp management, communication, security, and emergency and rescue operations.
According to the needs of climbers and climbing assistants, an integrated medical assistance system shall be arranged for the treatment of altitude sickness, injuries, and other health issues by the municipality mandating effective communication systems and emergency response mechanisms in place for climbing expeditions.
The local government has emphasised on immediate implementation of the regulations to ensure the preservation of the Himalayan ecosystem while promoting sustainable adventure tourism and safeguarding the region for future generations.
