KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court of Nepal has ordered the government to limit the number of mountaineering permits issued for Everest and other high peaks, a lawyer confirmed Friday, amid the expeditions prepare for the spring climbing season.
Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 10 highest peaks and receives hundreds of adventurers each spring, when temperatures are warm and winds are usually more friendly and calm. The apex court issued the verdict in late April but a summary was published this week.
Earlier, Lawyer Deepak Bikram Mishra, who had filed a petition urging permits to be curtailed, told AFP that the court had responded to public concerns about the mountains and its environment in Nepal.
Mishra further said that the court has ordered a limit to the number of climbers, and also given measures for waste management and preservation of environment over the mountains.
The summary released by the court stated that the mountains’ capacity “must be respected” and an appropriate maximum number of permits should be determined.
The Himalayan Republic currently grants permits to all who apply and are willing to pay $11,000 to scale Everest, the world’s highest peak at 8,850 meters (29,035 feet) above the sea level. Last year, Nepal issued a record high of 478 permits for Everest.
In 2019, a massive human traffic jam occurred on Everest forced teams to wait hours at the summit in freezing temperatures, risking depleted oxygen levels that can lead to sickness, exhaustion and other health related issues. At least four of the 11 deaths on the peak that year were blamed on overcrowding.
In addition, the court verdict also ordered restrictions on the use of helicopters for emergency rescues only.
Meanwhile, Nepal Mountaineering Association president Nima Nuru Sherpa said that such decisions required to be made after a proper study and consultation with the stakeholders and relevant authorities.
This year, Nepal has issued permits to 945 climbers for its mountains so far, including 403 for Everest.
