Index – Foreign – It has become questionable whether Mount Everest will be cleared of garbage

The cleanup of Mount Everest from debris has been postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus epidemic, writes MTI Joges, quoting Nepal Tourism Minister Bhattarai.

Tons of eyes are on the highest mountain in the world: tents that have become unusable, food containers, empty water bottles, beer cans, and oxygen bottles left behind by tired climbers. In addition, the place of difficult access has several remains that are not buried. Therefore, the Nepalese government has set aside money for a clean-up operation last year this year.

Photo: Namgyal Sherpa / AFP

Meanwhile, however, it has become doubtful when or if garbage collection will take place, Bhattarai told the German dpa news agency.

The Nepalese government has previously decided not to allow climbing Mount Everest, which is about 8,850 meters high, in the spring to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. With the current decision, however, tens of thousands of mountain leaders and porters who lost their jobs will be unable to earn any income from garbage collection.

So far, 75 infected people have been identified in Nepal. There were no deaths.