In a bid to draw world attention to the impact of climate change in the Himalayas, the government has decided to hold cabinet meeting at Gorak Shep, near the Everest Base Camp, on December 4.
Officially informing mediapersons about the cabinet meeting, Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Sharat Singht Bhandari said the move is aimed at expressing commitments to safeguard environmental sanctity of the Himalayas for the common interest of local and global communities.
Twenty-six ministers will fly to Gorak Shep for the special meeting. The ministers will fly to Lukla of December 3 and stay there to acclimatize to the high altitude. They will then be airlifted to Gorak Shep by four choppers.
By organizing the cabinet meet at the foothills of Mt Everest, the government aims to draw world attention ahead of the 15th Conference of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen, Denmark.
According to sources, the meeting will last for 20 minutes and will declare Gaurishankar Conservation Area and endorse Summiters' Summit to Save the Himalaya Campaign slated for December 11 in the Danish capital.
The ministers will be accompanied by medical team, diplomats, mountaineers and mediapersons. State-run Nepal Television will live broadcast the meeting.
Different private sector organizations like National Trust for Nature Conservation, Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal, Everest Summiteers' Association, Nepal Mountaineering Association, Himalayan Rescue Association, Expedition Operators' Association Nepal and all domestic airlines among others are supporting the event.
