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Stakeholders have stressed the need for resolving a dispute over the construction of a cable car in Taplejung through dialogue. The Pathivaradham is a famous pilgrim site in Taplejung district.

They also viewed the development work should be environment-friendly.

Speakers at a press meet said dialogue was the best option to settle the differing stands surrounding the cable car construction.

The press meet was organized by Phungling municipality on Monday. It was attended by local level people's representatives, representatives from various organizations, business community, and media persons.

Mayor Amir Maden said Taplejung district was waiting for development work for a long time. The cable car can be an effective medium to launch developments here, he said, adding that the dispute, however, needs immediate resolution.

The cable car is not only a ropeway to facilitate those visiting the famous pilgrim site in the district but also a means to create jobs and promote tourism, he argued.  The mayor also urged the 'no cable car group' to join dialogue for clearing hurdles.

General Secretary of Taplejung Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kamal Limbu, viewed it is essential to forge unity and be univocal on construction of cable car in Taplejung.

Other speakers representing the political parties also underlined the need for holding dialogue to sort out problems and find amicable solutions.

Nepal has officially banned solo expeditions on all mountains above 8,000 meters, including Sagarmatha, by amending its mountaineering regulations, according to the government publication Nepal Gazette. The sixth amendment to the mountaineering regulations prohibits solo expeditions on all 8,000-meter peaks.

Under the new regulations, every two members of a mountaineering team must be accompanied by at least one altitude worker or mountain guide. This rule applies to all mountains above 8,000 meters, including Sagarmatha. “When climbing a mountain peak with an altitude of more than 8,000 meters, every two members of the mountaineering team must be accompanied by at least one altitude worker or mountain guide. For other mountains, the mountaineering team must take at least one mountain guide with them,” states the newly introduced provision.

With these regulations now in effect, solo climbing on Nepal’s peaks has officially ended. The government is determined not to allow anyone, regardless of experience, to climb alone. This restriction applies to both alpine-style and expedition-style climbers.

The new regulations also formalize an increase in the royalty fee for foreign climbers attempting to summit Sagarmatha via the standard south route in spring, raising it to $15,000 per person from the previous $11,000. Climbing royalty fees for other seasons have also been revised. The fee for autumn expeditions, which run from September to November, has been increased from $5,500 to $7,500. For winter expeditions from December to February and monsoon expeditions from June to August, the fee has been raised from $2,750 to $3,750.

Additionally, the updated provisions include revised fees for other 8,000-meter peaks. The spring expedition fee has nearly doubled, rising from $1,800 to $3,000. The autumn fee has increased from $900 to $1,500, while the winter and monsoon fees have been raised from $450 to $750.

For Nepali climbers, the royalty fee for normal routes in the spring season has doubled from Rs 75,000 to Rs 150,000. In 2015, Nepal switched from a group-based royalty system to a uniform fee of $11,000 per climber for Everest’s spring season via the normal route.

As part of the new regulatory measures, family members of climbers, guides, and high-altitude base camp workers are now banned from staying at base camps. However, with prior approval from the tourism department, family members may stay at base camp for up to two days.

Another key change is the requirement for high-altitude guides to ‘self-declare’ their clients’ successful summits. To verify a summit, expedition organizers and liaison officers must submit original photos clearly showing the climber’s face. These photos must include mountain ranges in the background, a new eligibility criterion for receiving an Everest summit certificate.

Beyond climbers, the revised provisions also increase wages for liaison officers, high-altitude guides, and base camp workers. The daily allowance for liaison officers has increased from Rs 500 to Rs 1,600 per day. Sirdars (lead Sherpas) will now receive Rs 1,500 per day, up from Rs 500. High-altitude guides’ wages have jumped from Rs 350 to Rs 1,200 per day, while base camp workers’ daily wages have increased from Rs 300 to Rs 1,000.

In an effort to curb pollution in the high mountains, climbers are now required to bring all their waste, including human waste, back to base camp for proper disposal. Biodegradable bags must be used for waste collection in the upper reaches.

Since 1953, nearly 8,900 people have summited the world’s highest peak from Nepal’s side. The new provisions will take effect on Sept 1, marking the start of the spring expedition season.

Two persons died when a school bus met an accident at Bhanjyang in Pharping of Dakshinkali Municipality-3, Kathmandu district on Sunday.

The ill-fated bus was carrying 50 students of the Junkiri English School.

The identities of the deceased are yet to be ascertained, according to the District Police Range, Kathmandu.

SP Apilraj Bohora shared that the students injured in the accident have been sent to various hospitals for treatment while the rescue operation was underway.

The details of the accident are awaited, SP Bohora added. 

The fire that broke out in Timang forest of Chame Rural Municipality-1 in Manang district has not been brought under control even after 10 days. The forest fire had started in the evening of January 31.

The District Administration Office said they have not been able to douse the fire due to the difficult topography of the area.

Chief District Officer Matrika Acharya said that all the security agencies in the district have been mobilized to contain the wildfire.

"All the security agencies of the district have been mobilized to control the fire. Locals are also actively engaged in this task. However, we have not been able to bring the fire under control yet,” CDO Acharya said.

He said that the grazing areas of sheep, goats, yaks and cattle in the forest have been destroyed as the fire could not be brought under control on time.

"The fire has started in a difficult location far away from the settlement. There is also the risk of spread of forest fire as the place is also windy," CDO Acharya said, adding that the inferno has so far destroyed the habitat of the national bird, the lophophorous, and the young rhododendron plants in the forest. 

According to him, the security personnel and locals are trying their best to contain the fire wherever possible.

Chief District Officer Acharya shared that they were facing problems containing the wildfire as it is raging in a patch of forest on a cliff which is inaccessible.

He said there was no risk of fire in the settlement, adding necessary measures are being adopted so that the fire does not spread elsewhere.

Chief of Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) Area Office, Dhak Bahadur Bhujel, said that the fire could not be brought under control due to excessive dryness of the area since there was not much snowfall this winter.