Another record tumbles on Everest
25 year-old sets speed record

By Satyendra Timilsina 

KATHMANDU, May 23:Pemba Dorjee Sherpa of Beding, Dolakha, set a new speed-climbing record on Mt Everest Friday, climbing the world’s highest peak in a record 12 hours and 45 minutes. This was the 25 year-old’s third successful ascent of Everest.

With this success, he has improved the record of late Babu Chhiri Sherpa by 4 hours 11 minutes. Babu Chhiri had scaled Mount Everest in 2001 in 16 hours and 56 minutes.

Confirming the fastest ascent to Everest, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation said that Dorjee left from the Base Camp at 5 p.m. on May 22 and attained the feat at 5:45 a.m. the next morning. Speed records are traditionally measured in the time taken between Base Camp and the summit.

Pemba Dorjee was one of the members of "Dream Everest 2003 Expedition" which also included three French and four Nepalese, who were all successful in reaching the summit of Everest. .

"It’s amazing," says Ken Noguchi, 29, a Japanese summiteer, who became the youngest Japanese to scale Everest in 1999. "Most of the climbers take three to four days to reach Everest from the Base Camp, and therefore this is an extraordinary achievement."

Noguchi should know about achievements since he too hold the record of being the youngest climber to scale the highest peaks in all seven continents. He added, Pemba had earlier claimed that he would climb Everest in 14 hours 30 minutes, but managed the feat in less time.

Explaining how it was possible, Ang Tshering Sherpa, the president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), said that the arrangements were made in such a way that there was no time loss during the expedition.

"We had readied escorting associates in each of the camps above the Base Camp," he said adding that Pemba spent some time in Camp 2 and Camp 4. According to him, a Sherpa escort was ready in Camp 2 and two more in Camp 4 to assist Pemba Dorjee.

The NMA president said that though remarkable, the record could be broken again. "I cannot claim that this record in unbreakable," he said, recalling what he had said when Babu Chhiri Sherpa set the record two years ago. "I had said then the record can’t be broken again, but I was totally wrong."

Others who climbed Everest today include Gary Guller, 36, a disabled from Texas, USA. He was accompanied by Kevin Ira Vann, 44, and four other Nepalese Sherpas in the ‘Team Everest 2003’ expedition. According to the Ministry reports, a total of 52 climbers with 10 expeditions had climbed the world’s tallest peak on Thursday. Among them eight were Japanese, four Irish and four Indians, two Americans, one climber each from Italy, Spain, and Great Britain and the rest from Nepal.

Hillary in town to climb up memory lane

KATHMANDU, May 23 (PR) - Mountaineering legend Sir Edmund Hillary, 83, one of the two first summiteers of the world’s highest peak on May 29, 1953, arrived here in the capital today to participate in the Mount Everest Golden Jubilee Celebration being organised to commemorate the historic ascent.

Hillary appeared in a wheelchair and looked exhausted. "He is not well," informed Ang Tshiring Sherpa, the President of Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA). We are expecting him to get well soon and get ready for the scheduled programmes," he added.

Hillary and 202 other Everest summiteers from other countries and some 250 Nepali Everest summiteers are gathering for the mega celebration of the 50-year anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Everest.

Hillary, Junko Tabei, Reinhold Messner and Appa Sherpa would receive special reception and honour, as they would be riding on a horse-carriage for the procession of Everest summiteers on May 28. Kathmandu Municipality is felicitating Hillary on the same day after the procession.

Hillary, born in 1919 in Auckland, New Zealand stepped on top of Everest along with a Nepali Tenjing Norgay in 1953.

Hillary, who made his living as a beekeeper before mountaineering success, returned to Nepal in 1960 and aided in the development of Everest region-building clinics, hospitals and several schools.

Govt firm to run local bodies through nominated committees
Major parties boycott meet

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KATHMANDU, May 23 : The all-party meeting called by Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand to discuss the issue of running local bodies through nomination went ahead despite boycott from major political parties.

Chand informed the meeting which was attended by two coalition partners in the government-Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and Nepal Sadbhavana party (NSP)-that the government wanted to form nominated committees in each of the local bodies in the country.

"Election is not possible until settlement of all weapon-related issues but the setting up of local bodies has become essential for carrying out development works at local level," said RPP Chairman Pashupati Shumshere Rana quoting the Prime Minister.

Minister for Information and Communications Ramesh Nath Pandey told the reporters that the government has decided to facilitate the nomination of political parties’ representatives in all the local bodies through an ordinance.

Pressures from the donors who are funding the local development projects are reported to be the main cause behind the government’s rush to form the all-party committees. However, the government members did not elaborate it.

"There will be no cooperation from the parties to the government’s intention to rule the country through nominated persons," said Govinda Raj Joshi, joint general secretary of Nepali Congress.

Three similar meetings in the past have been boycotted by the major parties like Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and People’s Front Nepal citing "lack of constitutional ground on the government" as the main reason.

RPP chairman Rana told the reporters after the meeting that both the participating parties today urged the Prime Minister to make an atmosphere where other parties also could join the committees.

"We have also drawn attention of the government towards legal and practical consequences once the nominated committees are formed," said Rana. He also said the party would respond to the Prime Minister’s request to cooperate with the government only after holding discussions in the party and with other political parties.

Participants at the meeting hinted that the government seemed firm to implement the decision to form all-party committees whether other political parties take part or not. "The government’s decision are not affected even if the parties do not cooperate," said Amrita Agrahari, joint general secretary of Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Mandal faction)".

A day after conquest, the feeling is sinking in...

By Ang Chhiring Sherpa 

CAMP II, Mt Everest, May 23 : A day after setting my foot on top of the world, the feeling is sinking in that I actually did it. It is a heady feeling that comes to oneself when a near impossible feat is accomplished.

On Saturday, I am going to descend to the Base Camp.

The entire episode comes to me as a flashback. How me and other climbers who were with me took one step and then rested and repeated it throughout. While resting or standing at any point, our hands and feet felt cold, goading us to take the next step towards the top.

It was moonlit sky and the head lamp showed us the way. Just when we were almost there, someone said, "We are just five minutes from the top," seeing the Buddhist white prayer flag and the Nepali National Flag. It was difficult to recognise anyone as everyone was wearing oxygen mask and heavy clothing.

Time stops still at the top. No one knew when we had already achieved our goal when Pemba Norbu Sherpa of Namche Village Development Committee-6 who was with the French expedition team and who helped me in my attempt told us we had done it: we were on top of the world!

I now remember the hugging and congratulatory greetings that the summiteers exchanged at the summit. We saw Tibet from there and Nepal side too. It is flat at the top and some 40 persons can stand atop there at one time.

I also just realised that during the 22 hours that I took to climb Mt Everest and descend to Camp II where I am right now that I was without food! That was the excitement while moving towards the top of the world and making the successful descent. I just had two cups of tea and even now I do not feel like taking any solid food.

During the descent, while I was below the Hillary Step (arguably the most difficult portion on the way to the tallest peak) and above the South Summit, my oxygen cylinder went empty. More than any physical difficulty, I was nervous, rather a bit scared. I remembered God and chanted Sherpa hymns.

The descent is more difficult than the ascent. I now realise what Hillary meant a few years ago when, replying to a reporter’s question on how he would feel if it was found that George Mallory had climbed Mt Everest before him and Tenzing Norgay. Hillary had said that ascending is just 50 per cent of the task; the other 50 per cent is the descent. When the latter is done successful, then only we can say the climb has been successful, Hillary had said. I couldn’t agree more with him.

Mallory, 38 and Andrew Irvine, 22 through a British expedition led by the former in 1924, made an attempt at the summit but disappeared in heavy weather, never to return. The mystery still remains as to they climbed Mt Everest or not.

Meanwhile, the scene at Camp II still has a busy look, with the successful summiteers descending and the aspirants still vying for the top, making that last push. The weather forecasts until 25th-26th May is going to remain fine and hence every aspiring summiteer wants to make the best use of the opportunity.

Women leaders hit the streets

KATHMANDU, May 23 (PR) - Women leaders associated with the five agitating political parties took out protest rallies against the October 4 royal take over, here and all across the country today.

A joint rally of the Nepali Congress (NC), Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist & Leninist, Peoples’ Front Nepal (PFN), Nepal Workers’ and Peasants’ Party (NWPP) and the Nepal Sadbhawana Party (NSP-Anandidevi) here, which began from Ratna Park passed through Bhotahiti, Ason, Indra Chowk, New Road and concluded in a mass meeting at Ratna Park. Sahana Pradhan from the UML, Mina Pande from the NC, Sashi Shrestha from the PFN, Sita K C from the NWPP and Sarita Giri from the NSP-Anandidevi addressed the meeting. The women leaders held similar programmes in other districts.

Issuing a press statement, the NHRC said that the government should be alert as it has the sincere responsibility to protect the right guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and remain committed to it.

US $ 75.6m WB credit for power sector

Post Report 

KATHMANDU, May 23 : The World Bank approved a US$ 75.6 million credit to the government of Nepal to provide electricity facility to the majority of people, who have little or no access to the white gold. The fund was provided to support the government’s efforts at expanding access by strengthening partnership with the private sector and local communities.

According to the statement issued here today from the South Asia Region Office of The World Bank, the funds will be implemented through the Nepal Power Development Project (NPDP), that will increase access to electricity mainly in rural areas connecting around 47,000 households.

The NPDP will encourage private participation to improve efficiency in the power sector and will also promote the development of Nepal’s hydropower potential in a sustainable and environmentally sound manner.

After the Bank’s refusal to invest in the Arun III project in 1995, NPDP is its first major investment in the hydropower sector.

NPDP will establish a Power Development Fund (PDF) to help the private sector to undertake developments of small and medium sized hydro projects. PDF will support the private sector by providing resources for long term financing and guarantees for first time investors in the sector. Similarly, the local commercial bank will be recruited to act as administrator for the fund, states the statement.

There is a vast difference between the rural and urban area as far as access to electricity goes. Only around 40 per cent of Nepal’s households have access to electricity. Based on the 2001 census, the statement said that it is estimated that 90 per cent of the urban population have access to electricity, whereas only 30 per cent of the rural population have electricity access.

"The power sector in Nepal is hindered by a series of institutional problems, which constrain its efficient development and the mobilisation of resources for future investments," said the statement. "As a result, Nepal’s power sector suffers from poor quantity and quality of supply, high system losses and high cost of power."

Quoting Mudassar Imran, Senior Energy Economist for the World Bank and Task Manager for the project, the statement said that the project draws on the combined strengths of communities, the private sector and the public sector.

"The private sector will lead the development of medium and small scale hydro projects, whereas the investment in transmission and distribution will be implemented by the Nepal Electricity Authority," says Imran. "And the village electrification programme will be led by community groups with women and ethnic minorities as active participants and beneficiaries."

Similarly quoting Kenichi Ohashi, the Bank’s Country Director for Nepal, the statement said that the NPDP is compatible with the Nepali context, that will deliver maximum impact to the rural populace.

NMS registered officially

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KATHMANDU, May 23 : A group of newspaper publishers today registered the Nepal Media Society (NMS) at the District Administration Office (DAO) in Kathmandu. The association was floated last year with a view to work concertedly in the interests of the nation.

A statement by the NMS said a meeting convened today held comprehensive discussions on the evolving political scenario. It added: "the meeting centred around the need to forge ahead in unison and defend the nation, multi-party political system and national interests."

Yet another decision reached by the society referred to the need to protest in a concerted way the encroachment of foreign media in the nation’s publishing sector. The publishers have also decided to secure the interests of the working journalists. The society has also congratulated Ang Chhiring, the first Nepali journalist who successfully ascended Mount Everest on Thursday. Ang Chhiring is associated with Kantipur newspaper.

The meeting was attended by Chairman of the NMS Mahendra Sherchan (Rajdhani) First Chairman Kailash Sirohiya, (Kantipur Publications) Second Chairman Pashupati Murarka (Nepal Samacharpatra). Executive members who attended the meeting comprise Jamim Shah (Space Time), Ujwal Sharma (Himalaya Times) Binod Raj Gyawali (Kantipur Publications) and Bahadur Krishna Tamrakar (Space Time).

South Col being cleared of leftovers

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KATHMANDU, May 23 : Every year brave climbers respond to the call of the world’s tallest peak, Mt Everest, and take up the challenge in a bid to conquer it.

Since the first ascent of the peak by New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay on May 29, 1953, over 1,000 climbers have tried to follow their footsteps to the top of the world. However, once they accomplish their mission, very few of them would feel reponsibility to carry back their oxygen cylinders, tents, ropes, putting stress on its pristine environment.

Japanese mountaineer Ken Noguchi and his Asian Everest-Lhotse Clean-up Expedition 2003 team have shown the rare responsibility this spring cleaning up the camp 3 and South Col. Noguchi flew back from Syangboche today with 2,400kgs of garbage stuffed into white sacks, including 51 empty oxygen cylinders.

The eight-member expedition team that included seven Japanese and a Korean with 20 Sherpas carried out the clean-up operation from camp 3 at 7,200m to South Col at 8,000m. According to Noguchi, the team members collected the garbage at camp 3 while the Sherpas went upto the South Col and brought down the oxygen cylinders, food cans and tents left behind by other climbers.

"The South Col is completely clean now," claimed Noguchi, holding empty oxygen bottles in his hands. He has now conducted four clean-up operations of the world’s tallest peak.

He said some of the garbage would be cargoed to Japan and displayed in several cities to generate awareness about the mountain’s pollution.

Not in the rubbish category, his team also found the frozen corpse, believed to be of Jazling Sherpa, who had died 30 years ago trying to reach the summit. "We pulled the body down to camp 2 and buried it," he told reporters.

"The team had cancelled their previous clean-up plans on Manaslu and Lhotse and chose Everest to commemorate the 50th anniversary of its first ascent," said Ang Tshering Sherpa, the president of Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA).

Noguchi said that such a venture would not only bring down old garbage from high on mountains but also establish a programme of responsibility.

In a similar expedition last year, Noguchi, leading a four-nation Asian team, brought back over two tonnes of garbage, which included as many as 161 empty oxygen cylinders, tents, rusting tin cans. Some of the cylinders, the team brought back, dates as far back as to 1952, apparently used by Tenzing Norgay and Raymond Lambert during their unsuccessful quest to conquer the world’s tallest peak that year.

Noguchi had earlier led two clean-up expeditions to Everest from the Tibetan side in 2000 and 2001 and collected a total of about three tons of garbage. Briefing on his plans of similar expedition on Mt. Manaslu in next spring, he stressed that the Nepali government should develop a system so that similar expeditions could be frequented in the future.

ANNISU-R sets conditions for strike withdrawal

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KATHMANDU, May 23 : The All Nepal National Independent Students’ Union (Revolutionary), ANNISU-R is considering the withdrawal of the proposed strike in private schools if the government representatives from the fee revision committee are withdrawn.

A formal decision to this effect, however, is likely to be taken tomorrow, when PABSON and ANNISU-R representatives will meet.

ANNISU-R has come in for sharp criticism from different quarters for disrupting the school education.

"We are very hopeful that the strikes will be withdrawn," said Umesh Shrestha, PABSON’s president and a member in the recently formed government committee for fixing fee ceiling in private schools.

Asked if they would withdraw their strikes, ANNISU-R’s central committee member Sailendra Ghimire said, "It will be known during Saturday’s meeting."

"But it is unlikely unless the committee has broad representation," Ghimire added. The ANNISU-R demands the ouster of PABSON and N-PABSAN representatives from the committee but the latter defend their representation as ‘unquestionable’ since the crux of the issue is on fixation of ceilings on their schools.

Meanwhile, Fr Lawrence, principal of St. Xavier’s School said that the school would run as usual until the situation is favourable. "But if they (ANNISU-R) again resort to destruction and violence in school, we will have no option." "I sent letters to the parents today stating something like this."

Sr Margaret Marry, principal of St Mary’s High School here said she would wait for the Saturday’s meeting to come out with positive news.

The government committee, which will recommend on the fee structure to be laid by all the private schools before June 19 (Ashad 5) has begun its work today.