With the onset of spring, the prime time for mountain climbing, the team of "Icefall Doctor" has left for the base camp to prepare the way to climb Mount Everest.
The Everest Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), which is in charge of building the road, has sent a team to the Everest Base Camp to construct and maintain the Khumbu Icefall Road.
SPCC President Lamakaji Sherpa said that the seasoned mountain climbing team was sent from Namche Bazar to the base camp with supplies for the spring season. The team includes eight 'Icefall Doctors' including base camp manager Chiring Tenzing Sherpa. The two teams are led by Angsarki Sherpa and Dawazangbu Sherpa. The
team consists of Daba Nuru Sherpa, Nim Tenji Sherpa, Mingma Galgen Sherpa, Daba Chiri Sherpa, Lakpa Sona Sherpa and Tendu Sherpa. Since 1997, the Department of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has been giving the committee the responsibility of constructing and maintaining the climbing route of the Khumbu Icefall.
The team starts building the road only by praying and worshiping the mountain according to Buddhist tradition. "After seeing the lama, the work of making the road starts," said Sherpa, the president. Road construction in the mountains is considered extremely risky. Their team ropes and ladders up to the second base camp.
According to the SPCC, it will take 20 days to build the road to the second base camp of Everest. The Everest Pollution Control Committee has been doing road construction and cleaning work in the Everest region. For doing this work, the committee has been taking 600 US dollars from every foreigner who joins the climbing team.
"We do all the work of road construction and cleaning," said Chairman Sherpa, "We have done all the work under the agreement with the Ministry of Tourism, the main source of our income is this fee." The committee does not charge any fees from Nepali climbers. SPCC has been doing environmental protection work in the base camp area in addition to checking the permission of the climbing team.
