Kathmandu: ‘Safa Himal Abhiyan 2021’ (Mountain cleaning campaign) is starting from today.

Chief of Army Staff Purnachandra Thapa is scheduled to launch the campaign today by handing over a banner to the expedition team.

This year, the Nepal Army, in coordination with various organisations, is cleaning six mountains, including Mount Everest, Lhotse, Pumori, Amadablam, Makalu and Dhaulagiri.

The campaign has targeted to collect 35 tonnes of garbage by cleaning the base camps of six mountains and above. The Nepal Army has stated that it will cooperate with the Ministry of Forest and Environment, Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Nepal Tourism Board, Pasang Lhamu Municipality, Thasang Municipality, Makalu Varun Municipality, Nepal Mountaineering Association, Himalayan Rescue Association and Everest Pollution Control Committee.

The campaign, which will start from today and will end on the occasion of World Environment Day on June 5. The army has also stated that the non-perishable garbage will be brought to Kathmandu by helicopter and vehicle and handed over to the reuse organization.

The expedition will have the support of 43 climbing members of the Nepal Army and other people including Sherpas. It is estimated that it will cost Rs 125 million to clean the mountain, said Assistant Rathi Khadka.

The Everest clean-up campaign was launched in 2019. The military says it is continuing to clean up the mountain, which was affected by the Corona epidemic last year.