KATHMANDU, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Recognized by the Guinness World Records recently, Nepal has set a world record for carrying out the largest cleanup of Mt. Qomolangma between April 14 and May 29 last year.

With worldwide recognition, stakeholders said they are positive about making mountaineering sector pollution-free in the future.

The certificate was received by the Tourism Department's representative early this week after a long delay due to the COVID-19 outbreak in different parts of the world.

Through an initiative led by the country's Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, a total of 10,386 kg of garbage was collected from Mt. Qomolangma in last year' spring climbing season. Of the total litter, about 5,700 kg were collected from basecamp and nearby settlements while the remaining were collected from higher altitude camps and along the old Khumbu Icefall route.

According to Kul Bahadur Khadka, general secretary at Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), global warming and climate change are legitimate issues and the world's eyes are fixated on them during spring when most of the expeditions to mountains over 8,000 meters are carried out.

"Though it is our duty to clean up our mountains, the drive has been taken in a positive light which is a good thing for our country," he told Xinhua on Thursday. "It has also become an example that the coordination between the government and private sectors can reap good results."

A team of 12 Sherpas were involved in the cleanup operation. Nishan Shrestha, an official at Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) said the attempt was a joint initiative for which the committee had shortlisted competent Sherpas to carry out the work. "Icefall doctors and Sherpas with decades of experience were sent for the task," he added.

Mira Acharya, director at the Department of Tourism said the government is sensitive about the environmental issues in the Himalayan region and this initiative can keep them at watch to maintain the management needed for the conservation of peaks across the country.

"Our Sherpa brothers have contributed for the campaign and that has become a national pride," she told Xinhua over the phone on Wednesday.

The cleanup was assisted by the Ministry of Forests and Environment, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, SPCC, the Nepal Army, Nepal Mountaineering Association and Nepal Tourism Board (NTB). "Garbage management in mountains including Mt. Qomolangma is a discipline we need to maintain and we have just done that," she added.

According to Acharya, the initiative was a responsibility of the Nepal government and with the new record in place, it will give the stakeholders a motivation to break this record and progress more. Enditem

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