Kathmandu, August 22

The government is all set to bar local agents of international rescue and insurance companies from getting involved in search and rescue of tourists in high mountain areas.

The 15-point Mountaineering and Trekking Search and Rescue Guidelines drafted by a high-level government panel have proposed to place a police unit at Nepal Tourism Board to deal with operations to search and rescue tourists.

The government move comes at a time when international travel insurance companies have threatened to halt the issuance of insurance cover to foreigners visiting Nepal for trekking and mountaineering with effect from autumn.

“None of the agents will be allowed to conduct search and rescue of tourists on behalf of international companies,” Dandu Raj Ghimire, director general at the Department of Tourism, said. Ghimire heads the committee formed by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation to prepare guidelines for searching and rescuing tourists.

“The guidelines aim to curb fraudulent activities while conducting search and rescue of tourists, especially foreign trekkers and mountaineers visiting high mountain areas,” Ghimire said. The guideline would come into force soon after holding consultations with stakeholders, he added.

According to the document, the search and rescue unit commanded by Nepal police shall operate round the clock. The unit will manage necessary resources, including high altitude rescues and helicopter services, as per the guidelines.

“The unit can invite private helicopter companies to bid for the rescue services that they want to offer tourists in high mountains,” it said, adding that the unit could also mobilise army or police choppers if private helicopters are not available in times of need.

Helicopter companies, hospitals and tour and trekking agencies will be barred from fleecing tourists in the name of search and rescue while the police unit will solely handle all insurance related tasks for the same, as per the guidelines. “The police welfare fund will be instantly utilised to conduct search and rescue and will be reimbursed once the payment is made by the insurance companies.”

The necessary arrangements ranging from fixing prices to validating documents would be done by a monitoring committee comprising government representatives from the Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Home Affairs, adds the document. The unit, however, can charge a minimum service fee as fixed by the monitoring committee.

Investigation by the ministry discovered that three helicopter companies, four hospitals and eight travel, trekking and rescue companies were involved in the fake rescue of mountaineers and trekkers, Ghanashyam Upadhyaya, spokesperson for MoCTCA, said.

According to Ghimire, once the guidelines are implemented, none of the trekking, tour and helicopter companies, as well as hospitals, can collaborate to stake fake insurance claims. “Minister, secretary and representatives from different companies are scheduled to meet tomorrow to finalise the guidelines.”

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