KATHMANDU, JUNE 25

The Department of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation today recommended stern action against celebrated climber Nirmal 'Nims' Purja and his company - Elite Exped- for violating mountaineering rules of the country.

"Nirmal 'Nims' Purja of Elite Exped should be punished as per the clause 38(1) of the Nepal's Tourism Act -1978 after he has flouted climbing rules while attempting to climb mountains in the Everest region this year," a detailed report submitted by the DoT to the ministry, read.

DoT's Director General Rudra Prasad Pandit confirmed that his office has recommended stern action against Nims and his company - Elite Exped - for illegal activities in the Everest region that had tarnished images of the country's mountaineering industry.

Without elaborating, Pandit confirmed that the ministry has been asked to take action against Nims as per the clause 38 of the Tourism Act.

"In case a mountaineering expedition team or it's any member commits any of the following acts, Government of Nepal may ban them from entering Nepal for a period upto five years or ban for mountaineering in Nepal for a period upto ten years," the clause 38(1) reads. The acts mentioned in the list include immoral conduct or behaviour whilst on mountaineering period as well as violation of the country's mountaineering Act and its related provisions.

"It's now the ball is in Ministry's court," the DoT sources said, adding that Tourism Minister will take a final call on a legal action that needs to be taken against Nims Purja.

The DoT, however, found that Nims flouted climbing rules in many occasions in the name of running expedition to VVIP clients. Everest Base Camp-based expedition monitoring field office has also submitted details of the illegal activities that Nims performed while running Elite Exped expeditions in the Everest region this spring season.

The DoT's report mentioned that he tried to tarnish Nepal's mountaineering industry's image by circulating a misleading video of rope slicing above the south summit on Mt Everest. "Holding illegal training for its climbers above the base camp, commandeering an unauthorized chopper flight to/from the Camp II and evading tax in the name of being non-resident Nepali (British Citizen) are some of the offenses that DoT has noticed," a DoT source said. "DoT has forwarded all details to the ministry recommending a stern action against Nims," the source reiterated, adding that there were many instances of banning climbers from running expeditions in Nepal for committing illegal acts.

Earlier, tourism associations including Expedition Operators Association Nepal, Everest Summiteers Association, Nepal Mountaineering Association and Trekking Agents Association of Nepal had sought an immediate legal action against Nims for polluting the country's mountaineering industry.

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