Bini Dahal

RECENTLY, I came across a travel website that had enlisted the Himalayas as a place to travel after the disappearance of COVID-19 keeping social distancing in mind. There is no doubt that this landscape offers the unique and mysterious beauty. It may be good for mountaineers to avoid visiting the Himalayas during this pandemic.
The Himalayas is a tough challenge. Yet, many spend a lot of money just to enjoy seeing its captivating beauty. As Nepal is home to numerous mountains, they have been a major source of revenue for our economy. So, when COVID-19 first began showing its impact, the Nepali tourism industry was the most severely hit.
But the adventure tourism was slowly reviving with the start of this spring, as mountain lovers were coming back to the Himalayas for achieving something bigger. And Sagarmatha, world’s tallest peak, remains to be the number one choice for many mountaineers from across the globe. Now many adventurers have shown their interest in conquering it, and hundreds of climbers have received the permit to scale the 8,848.86-metre peak for this spring alone.
But news media are now highlighting how the pandemic has reached the top of the world, too. According to news reports, about one and a half dozen climbers have tested positive for COVID-19. Swabs of scores of mountaineers who were at base camp and higher camps were tested in various hospitals based in Kathmandu. However, the responsible authorities have dismissed the issue and blamed that efforts were made to downplay the situation and pile pressure on closing down mountain expeditions.
If the Department of Tourism and other agencies responsible for monitoring the expeditions are ignoring these evidences, this pandemic might have a devastating effect on the Himalayas. The number of coronavirus infections has been increasing at an alarming level, affecting many urban areas. The situation in Nepal too seems to be worsening day by day. If all possible measures are not taken on time to control the contagion, we might face the same situation as India.
Revenue is indeed important for a country’s normal functioning, but we cannot place it above people’s health and that of the area. If we are to ensure continued revenue earning while controlling the pandemic in the remote areas, there should be coronavirus testing facility. Mountaineers and liaison officers at Everest base camp have hinted at the lack of such a facility there. However, big expedition teams are carrying out testing on their own for their safety.
The country's healthcare system has been overburdened after a rapid rise in COVID-19 infections. And the government has asked Nepali citizens to take care of them on their own. The government seems to be applying the same policy to foreign climbers going up to the Himalayas as well.
But the government should formulate robust plans and policies to combat the pandemic in a more effective way. It should make sure that COVID-19 tests are mandatory. At the same time, mountaineering rules should be enforced strictly. It can also collaborate with expedition operators to prevent the spread of the deadly virus up to the Himalayas. I think we should let go of all the adventures and stay safe in this difficult time of the pandemic.