Army clears 350 kg of waste left by trekkers from Thorong La Pass

By Hari Krishna Sharma 

Mustang, (Mutinath), May 21 : The Nepali Army (NA) has conducted a cleanliness drive and waste collection campaign at the Thorong La Pass—an iconic point along the world-renowned Annapurna Circuit trekking route.

The initiative was carried out by the High Altitude and Mountain Warfare School of the Nepali Army, as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations under its commitment to environmental conservation and social responsibility.

During the operation, the army collected approximately 350 kilograms of waste (equivalent to 37 sacks) left behind by trekkers travelling through the Manang-Mustang section via Thorong La Pass. The clean-up effort extended from Thorong Phedi to Muktinath.

Personnel involved in the ongoing serial number-63 High Altitude and Mountain Warfare Basic Training, including instructors, trainees, and logistics teams, gathered the litter during their final outdoor exercise. 

The collected waste was formally handed over to Rajesh Gupta, Chief of the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) office in Jomsom, Mustang, by the Warfare School’s Chief, Colonel Khemraj Sharma.

During the handover, emphasis was placed on the necessity for trekkers themselves to take the lead in keeping tourist destinations clean and pristine. Colonel Sharma said that much of the waste consisted of food wrappers and plastic discarded by hikers and recommended that proper disposal bins and sanitation facilities be made available along the route.

ACAP Jomsom Chief Gupta stated that awareness campaigns targeting students and communities have been launched to promote cleanliness throughout Mustang. According to ACAP, biodegradable waste is being turned into compost, while non-biodegradable materials are either reused or safely destroyed.

With improved road connectivity in the region, both domestic and international tourists frequently traverse the Thorong La Pass via Manang and Mustang, increasing the need for sustainable tourism practices.