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Mountaineers seeking climbing permission for the first time in Nepal are getting attracted to small mountains. According to the Department of Tourism, there has been an unprecedented increase in the interest to climb mountains between 6,000-8,000 meters. Altogether 1,118 people have applied for the same this autumn. 

According to the department, 1,001 climbers sought permissions for 45 different mountains between September and November. The department director Mira Acharya informs that the number could further increase as the department will be handing out permits for a couple more weeks. 

Compared to the past, this year climbers are attracted towards more new mountains. There are 414 mountains that Nepal has opened for mountaineering. Of them, 86 have never been scaled before. This autumn, the mountaineers have thus far sought permits for six new mountains—Amphu 1 (6,740m), Hanku Chuli (6,433m), Hangu Sarupic (6,764m), Linchu Chuli (6,659 m), Panpoche 1 (6,620m), Panpoche 2 (6,504m). In the case of successful ascents of these six, there will now be only 80 virgin above-6,500 mountains that are open for mountaineering in Nepal.  

Climbers need to seek trekking permit for above 6,500m. As trekking permits are mandatory, only actual mountaineers are known to climb these mountains. 

Every year, climbers attempt to scale new mountains to set new records. They want to list their name as the first on mountain-top. Mountaineers often go through the virgin list and try to climb those that have not been attempted before. 

There are more than 1,300 mountains in Nepal. However, according to Nepal Mountaineering Association, the country has not been able to successfully promote them and thus only a fraction of them are open for climbing. The association has asked for the private sector to be given the responsibility of mountain promotion for the coming tourism year. Currently, the association gives permissions for 27 above-6,500 mountains. Every year, it collects more than Rs 100 million in royalty. 

According to the Department of Tourism, this autumn season 10 members of two climbing teams came seeking permission to climb Mount Everest. As only spring season is suitable to climb the Everest, both the teams were unsuccessful. The Department further informs that no team has in this season attempted Nuptse and Lhotse that involves passing through a treacherous route to Everest. Acharya says ascent efforts fail in this season because of falling ice, snow accumulation and unpredictable winds. 

This autumn, climbers have been most attracted to Manaslu (8,163m) and Ama Dablam (6,814m). Until 31 October, 264 members from 27 teams have gone to climb Manaslu after getting permission. Similarly, 301 members from 26 teams have taken permits for Ama Dablam, according to the department. Among the 1,118 climbers from 62 different countries, 880 are men and 238 women. These climbers come from 62 different countries, and the department has collected Rs 63.6 million in royalty from them.

KathmanduThe International Relations Committee of the federal House of Representatives has issued a directive to the government to sell two loss-making Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) aircraft. NAC had bought these 56-seater planes—Modern Ark 60 (MA60) produced by China’s Xi’an Aircraft Industrial Corporation—six years ago. The committee, in an investigation, found that NAC was incurring constant losses by operating these aircraft, and that the Chinese side had not provided necessary support. It thus concluded that it would be better to sell
the planes.

In the fiscal 2016-2017, NAC earned Rs 191.1 million from the two planes while spending Rs 530.7 million on their operation. NAC had to bear losses worth Rs 339.6 million that year. In the following fiscal, NAC earned Rs 231.5 million and spent Rs 807.7 million on operations. In the first two fiscals of the aircraft’s purchase, NAC had already incurred a loss of Rs 915.7 million.

A report on NAC’s aircraft purchases that the committee made public last week states that the two planes went into loss due to lack of
proper planning.

Nepal had purchased the aircraft because they were considered suitable for flights in mountainous terrains and for small airports with short runways. But due to lack of the NAC’s long-term vision and support from the Chinese government and manufacturing company, the planes failed to perform well, the
report states.

The committee also found problems with four 18-seater Y-12e planes, which Nepal purchased in 2014. But in their case, the committee has directed the government to solve the problems through diplomacy. It has instructed the government to make greater efforts to procure vital aircraft parts from the manufacturing company,
and on time.

The NAC had received two aircraft (one MA60 and one Y-12) as grants. It had bought one MA60 and three Y-12e planes at a concessional interest rate, for 218.8 million RMB, which the NAC would have to start paying in biannual installments from next year. (Under the purchase agreement, it did not have to make a payment for the first seven years.) The first installment of 8.4 million RMB is due in October 2020; the last one is due in April 2033.

NAC’s spokesperson Ganesh Bahadur Chand says the Chinese side did not provide necessary manpower and spare parts on time. Chand adds that operating the two MA60 planes will not be possible unless China converts the loan taken for their purchase into a grant and provides additional manpower and
technical support.

“The two MA60 aircraft were simultaneously in operation hardly for a week after their purchase. If one is in operation, another is almost always grounded. Parts from one are taken out and fitted into another,” says Chand.
And of the four Y-12e planes, only three are flight-worthy. And only two are in operation due to lack of manpower and spare parts. One has been grounded for over
six months