Nepal to tighten control on Qomolangma climbers

Statues of Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand, and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa (R), the first climbers to conquer Qomolangma in 1953, are decorated with garlands during the 60th anniversary of their ascent, in Kathmandu May 29, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

KATHMANDU - Amid celebrations of Diamond Jubilee of the first ascent of Qomolangma (also known as Mt Everest in the West) on May 29, 1953, Government of Nepal on Wednesday announced that it will adopt strict measures on issuing permits to climb the highest summit from now on.

Government will watch over several factors like health condition, age and so on before letting any interested climber to scale Qomolangma in future and the aim of this is to preserve the glory of world heritage, the rooftop of the world, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation Ram Kumar Shrestha said in a diamond jubilee function hosted by Kathmandu metropolitan city at the premise of Kathmandu Durbar Square.

In the presence of family members of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hilary the first ever summiteers of the Everest, tourism entrepreneurs, world record holders and other dignitaries, minister Shrestha unveiled government's plan to further manage the mountaineering industry through proper mobilization of the royalties collected from the Himalayas.

"We have focused on the safety of the climbers mostly and thus we have increased the budget for general insurance package of the high altitude workers, rescuers along with the expenses on medicinal treatment," minister Shrestha informed.

Tourism Secretary Sushil Ghimire, Joint Secretary Purna Chandra Bhattarai, Officiating Chief Executive Officer of Nepal Tourism Board Subash Niraula, President of Nepal Summiteers Association Wangchu Sherpa, President of Trekking and Travel Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN) Mahendra Singh Thapa, Grandson of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa Tashi Tenzing Sherpa admired all of the climbers of Qomolangma who had sacrificed their lives in the snowy mountains during the expedition.

The function that followed the chariot procession of the family members of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Edmund Hilary along with the record holders of Qomolangma from Nepal Tourism Board to Basantapur Durbar Square welcomed them all.

World famous climbers Phurba Tashi Sherpa who has climbed Qomolangma for 21 times, Kanchha Shrepa, the expedition team member of first ever successful expedition of 1953, Reinhold Messner who climbed Qomolangma without oxygen for the first time, TashiTenzing Sherpa, grandson of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, Amelia Rose Hillary, granddaughter of Edmund Hilary, Kame Sherpa, who scaled Qomolangma three times in nine days, Nima Sherpa, who has climbed all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters, among others were greeted at the event.