Mingma Sherpa and his companions in the fight against the many helicopter flights in the Everest region feel let down. “Sadly, none of the politicians have talked about our movement,” writes the chairman of the Namche Youth Group, which had campaigned for an end to the many purely tourist flights in the Khumbu region, to me. “We honestly have no voice.”
Earlier this year, locals in the Khumbu had put up poles with prayer flags on the helipads all the way up to Gorak Shep, the last settlement before Everest Base Camp. As a result, the helicopter companies temporarily suspended all flights to the Everest region.
After a crisis meeting of all parties to the conflict at the end of January, at least the rescue flights were resumed. And the parties involved had expressed confidence that a solution would also be found to the controversial issue of purely commercial helicopter flights. Since then, there has been silence.
Continue reading “Helicopter dispute in the Everest region: Business beats environmental protection in the Khumbu”
