GROWING piles of garbage
in the mountains have led the
Himalayan Environment
Trust to release a code of conduct for climbers.
With the rise in the number of Himalayan expeditions,
Jarge amounts of waste that
are left on mountain slopes
are becoming a major source
of pollution. The new code
advises campers to avoid
building open fires and
restrict the use of firewood.
As it would be impractical to
carry back the waste, mountaineers have been asked to
collect and burn all
biodegradable waste.
Climbers should take care not
to pollute local water sources
and abstain from plucking plants.
Mountaineering legend
Chris Bonnington said,
"Though there is an awareness among climbers about
the environment and the need
to conserve it, few actually
observe the rules. Hence, the
need for norms to be spelt out."
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