The Nepalese army has removed eleven tonnes of rubbish from the peaks of the Himalayan mountains in the past few months, reports suggest.
The army also removed four corpses, and one skeleton, from Mount Everest and two other Himalayan peaks this year.
Waste on Himalayan peaksNepalese troops, as per a BBC report, recovered this waste and the bodies from the Everest, Nuptse, and Lhotse mountains over 55 days.
Himalayan clean-up operationThe army, as per the report, began its annual clean-up of the mountain in 2019.
Himalayan climbers this yearFor the spring climbing season that ended in May, the government issued permits to 421 climbers, down from a record 478 last year.
The Nepalese army has removed eleven tonnes of rubbish from the peaks of the Himalayan mountains in the past few months, reports suggest.
The army also removed four corpses, and one skeleton, from Mount Everest and two other Himalayan peaks this year.
Waste on Himalayan peaks
Nepalese troops, as per a BBC report, recovered this waste and the bodies from the Everest, Nuptse, and Lhotse mountains over 55 days.
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Even after the removal of eleven tonnes of waste, estimates suggest more than fifty tonnes of waste and over 200 bodies remain on Everest, often called the 'world's highest garbage dump'.
Himalayan clean-up operation
The army, as per the report, began its annual clean-up of the mountain in 2019. It was driven by concerns over overcrowding and the dangerous conditions climbers face to reach the summit. So far, these clean-ups have collected 119 tonnes of rubbish, 14 human corpses, and some skeletons.
This year, to reduce rubbish and improve rescues, authorities required climbers to wear tracking devices and bring back their poo.
Furthermore, the government plans to establish a team of mountain rangers to monitor rubbish and allocate more funds for its collection, said Rakesh Gurung, director of mountaineering at Nepal's Department of Tourism in a conversation with the BBC.
Gurung noted that the reduced number of permits this year was influenced by the global economic situation, China also issuing permits, and the national election in India reducing the number of climbers from that country.
The numbers are expected to drop further as Nepal's Supreme Court has ordered the government to limit permits. However, it is not clear by how much the permits will be reduced because the preliminary order did not specify a maximum number.
Gurung said that he welcomed the order. He added that the government was looking at potential reforms such as staggering climbers to alleviate summit traffic jams. The government will work with experts to determine a safe number of climbers, he said.
Himalayan climbers this year
For the spring climbing season that ended in May, the government issued permits to 421 climbers, down from a record 478 last year. Including Nepalese guides, around 600 people climbed the mountain this year.
Tragically, eight climbers died or went missing, compared to 19 last year. Among those missing are Brit Daniel Paterson and his Nepalese guide Pastenji Sherpa, who were struck by falling ice on May 21. Paterson's family attempted to raise funds for a search team, but later reported that recovery "is not possible at this time".
(With inputs from agencies)
