Nepal government meets Sherpas’ demands after Everest tragedy
Travelbiznews Online ——————
Kathmandu – Nepal government agreed to allocate 5 percent of the total 30 percent mountaineering royalty received by the concerned District Development Committee to the ‘Mountaineers Welfare Fund ‘. The relief fund would be utilized to compensate the injured and rehabilitation of families of the deceased climbers.
The government decided to increase the insurance amount for the mountaineering guides and staff to Rs 1.5 million from existing Rs 1 million and medical insurance to Rs 400,000 from existing Rs 300,000.
Likewise, the government decided to establish a memorial of the deceased and missing climbers following the death of 13 climbers and 3 missing climbers after the deadliest avalanche on the world’s highest mountain.
Earlier, some Sherpas had proposed to suspend expeditions for the rest of this climbing season this year declaring ‘ black year ‘in the annals of Everest expeditions.
The climbers have now agreed to resume expeditions following meeting with the officials of the government.
Meanwhile, a joint meeting of Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN), Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA), Expedition Operators Association (EOA) and Nepal National Mountain Guide Association (NNMGA) commended the initiatives of the government to help the families of the deceased climbers.
NMA and TAAN each decided to financially assist to the bereaved families with Rs 50,000 and injured climbers with Rs 35,000. EOA will contribute Rs 25,000 to the bereaved and Rs 15,000 to the injured.
A condolence meeting organized by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation expressed heartfelt condolence to the families of Nepali climbers who lost their life on avalanche in the Everest region on April 18, 2014.
April 22, 2014
