Limit Everest climbers to 150 a day, says Committee Report

Limit the number of Mt. Everest climbers to 150 a day, says Committee Report, submitted to the government Wednesday.

The Study and Recommendation Committee formed to study the issues related to mountain tourism submitted its detailed report to Yogesh Bhattarai- the Minister for Culture Tourism and Civil Aviation.

The committee report recommends separate measures for the management of Everest traffic jam, Trekking agencies, climbers, guides, sardars and experts working in the high altitudes.

1. Measures to manage Everest traffic jam

• Manage the use of tents in time during the hurricane and heavy storms for which experts should be employed.
• Fix wages for the expert used in fixing tents in the mountains according to the risk he goes through.
• Manage weather forecast accurately and then manage the mountaineering expedition.
• Limit the number of mountaineers to 150 for a one-day expedition of Everest.

2. Measure for Trekking Agencies engaged in organizing climbing Mt.Everest and peaks above 8000 m.

• Permit the trekking agencies to organize climbing to peaks higher than 8000 m after three years’ experience of having had such climbing experience.
• The managers of trekking agencies should know about climbing.
• Trekking agencies for organizing expeditions above 800 m should set aside a certain amount of money as a bank guarantee for the search, rescue, and treatment of the climbers lost during climbing.
• For seeking permission to Everest climbing a 35000$ fee for individual climber and peaks above 8000m an amount of 20,000$ individually should have been paid in advance and the draft should be shown before permission is sought by such trekking agencies. And this rule should be changed in two years.
• The trekking agency should have a doctor and experts for rescue operations.
• The Trekking agency must have trekking gears and oxygen cylinders of international standards and certified.
• The agencies should communicate about the climbers to the concerned agencies.
• The agencies should comply with their code of conduct.

3. Measure to be followed by the Climbers

• The climber should have taken basic training well as an advanced level of climbing training.
• The climber should have gone through acclimatization process and should have climbed at least one peak above 6500 meters to climb Mt Everest or peaks above 8000m
• The Climber intending to climb peaks above 8000m or Mt Everest should take a one trained guide with him.
• The climber should submit a medical certificate of a healthy body.
• The climber should have done insurance for search, rescue, and treatment.
• The climber should submit a detailed report of summits to his agency.
• The climber should make a declaration of being having healthy and should follow the codes of conduct.
• The climber should abide by the code of conduct.

4. Measures for the Sardar, Guide, and Experts working in high altitudes

• Only Nepali citizens are eligible for the post of the guide, Sardar and expert to work at high altitudes.
• Medical fitness certificates should be produced while working.
• Sardar, Guide or experts should have got special training from the specified training centers.
• Climbing Guide taking the duties of guide for peaks above 8000m should have climbed peaks above 7000 m. But the guide taking the duties of a climbing guide for Everest should have climbed peaks above 8000 m.