Nepal cleans tens of tons of waste in Himalayas

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - Nepal has collected 11,000 kilograms of waste from Mount Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse, the country's army said.

Four human bodies and a human skeleton were also collected along with 2,226 kilograms of biodegradable and 8,774 kilograms of non-biodegradable waste as part of the Clean Himal campaign, according to an army statement on Wednesday.

Expressing his joy in concluding the campaign on World Environment Day, Nepalese Chief of Army Staff Prabhu Ram Sharma highlighted the need for strict adherence to existing policies to prevent future pollution in the mountains.

He also emphasized the importance of creating awareness from the central to the grassroots level, noting such campaigns cannot be completed by the Nepali army alone.

This year's campaign marks the fifth edition of the campaign, which was launched in 2019. To date, the initiative has collected 119 tons of waste and recovered 14 human bodies and several skeletons.

At least three climbers have been confirmed dead on the world's tallest mountain this season, as hundreds of them are attempting to reach the summit.