KATHMANDU, MAY 27 -
After the National Tourism Fair was postponed, the government has
decided to push back the celebration of International Everest Day too.
However, the tourism industry has said that it will observe the event
slated for May 29 and make it part of its ongoing protest against the
government.
International Everest Day commemorates the first ascent of Everest by
Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa on May 29, 1953.
According to Madhu Sudan Burlakoti, chief of the Industry Division of
the Tourism Ministry, they were forced to postpone the event as they had
to mark Loktantra Day (Democracy Day) which falls on the same day.
“Although both events are highly important in Nepal’s history, we
decided to postpone Everest Day as its celebration could diminish the
commemoration of Loktantra Day that marked a new era in Nepal’s
political history,” said Burlakoti.
He added that all the preparations for Everest Day had been completed,
and that the government planned to celebrate it later probably in
July-August. “We are looking for an appropriate date.” This year, the
government also plans to conclude the diamond jubilee (60 years)
celebration of the first ascent.
He said that the ministry planned to invite Prime Minister Sushil Koirala to conclude the diamond
jubilee celebrations and that it was possible only if the schedule did not clash with Loktantra Day.
“As all the ministers and bureaucrats will be attending the Loktantra
Day celebrations, we fear that Everest Day will be cast in the shadow.”
However, the private sector, which has been holding a protest movement
against the government and the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) since the last
four weeks demanding that the country’s tourism promotion body be
straightened out, has decided to celebrate the event anyway.
“We will start a rally from Thamel on May 29 that will assemble at the
NTB premises,” said Ramesh Dhamala, president of the Trekking Agencies
Association of Nepal (TAAN). “We have even invited the tourism minister
to inaugurate the event.”
More than 35 travel trade associations have been organising various
protests under the Joint Tourism Coordination Council. They have
demanded reforms in the NTB and ending the irregularities at the board
to enable it to conduct effective marketing and promotion of Nepal’s
tourism in the national and international arenas.
“Everest Day doesn’t hold any meaning if it is celebrated on another
day,” said Ang Tshering Sherpa, president of the Nepal Mountaineering
Association. “Every year, the event is being celebrated under the
leadership of the government.”
This year also marks black Everest year. On April 18, a falling mass of
ice killed 16 people which was the single deadliest day on Everest
ever. Everest has seen only a single climb as of now, and Tourism
Ministry officials said that it could probably be another history of a
single expedition on Everest in a season.
Meanwhile, the Tourism Ministry said that most of the climbers had
rescheduled their visits to Nepal in 2015 and 2016 to climb Everest. “We
have approved the proposal of most of the climbers while others are
being processed,” Burlakoti said.
It wasn’t me, says Wang
The Tourism Ministry said that it was investigating charges that a
Chinese woman Wang Jing flew on a helicopter from Base Camp to Camp 2
while climbing Everest. Wang climbed Everest on May 23 to become the
first climber this season.
“We have asked for the flight details from the helicopter company,”
said Madhu Sudan Burlakoti, joint secretary at the Tourism Ministry.
Helicopters are only permitted to fly above Base Camp for rescue
purposes. Burlakoti said that Wang had informed the ministry that she
had not used a chopper.
She said that the chopper flew her two supporting Sherpas only.
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