LALITPUR, APR 20 -
The Save Sagarmatha Campaign is set to clean Mt. Everest and collect garbage thrown around it.
Association of Sagarmatha Climbers in partnership with Eco-Himal and some foreign organisations has launched the drive. The Ministry of Local Development (MoLD) on Wednesday saw off a team of the campaign, committing to provide technical support to it. According to Sunita Amatya, the general manager at the Solid Waste Management and Resource Mobilisation Centre under MoLD, waste materials scattered around Mt. Everest have marred its image and the ministry is supporting the clean-up drive with a view to attracting more visitors during the Nepal Tourism Year 2011.
Amatya said that a team of about 35 people are flying towards Everest on Thursday and Friday where they will collect eight tonnes of garbage thrown up to an altitude of 8,700 metre. Amatya added that the ministry is plans to mobilise local people to recycle the collected wastes. However, some waste materials will be used as souvenirs, while historical materials inside the waste will be kept in museums.
