Gandaki, 19 November: It is forbidden to take loud noise making devices to the world famous Annapurna base camp for trekking. According to the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), the decision was taken because the loud noise will disrupt the concentration of tourists trekking in the quiet Himalayan region and disrupt their journey.
Dr. Ravin Kadaria, the head of the project, requested the tourists and the general public not to play loud songs or make noise during the trek or while staying at the hotel. “Before reaching the base camp, we are requesting the tourists to leave the sound device in Chomrong village and bring it back when they return”, he said, “If anyone is found doing such activities during the monitoring, we will confiscate the goods.”
Dr. Kadaria, the head of the project, said that some of the hikers complained that the loud music was affecting other hikers. After the project office started tightening the work, tourists started going towards the base camp with such sound devices in Annapurna rural municipality-11 Chomrong of Kaski.
Every year, a large number of local and foreign tourists reach the Annapurna base camp to trek in a peaceful and natural environment. According to Dr. Kadaria, the head of the project, even drone cameras cannot be used in that area without permission. He says that if someone captures the view of the base camp from a ‘drone’, the camera will be confiscated. Dr. Kadaria, the head of the project, said that the cleaning campaign of the tourist destinations within ‘ACAP’ including the Annapurna base camp is also underway.
The campaign was started at the community level to make the Annapurna conservation area garbage-free. The project office has banned taking lead and plastic bottles to the Annapurna base camp. Dr. Kadaria, the head of the project, said that tourists have been asked not to bring glass and plastic materials to Mardi Himal, Tara Hilltop and other areas and to bring their own garbage.
He said that the waste in the footpaths and slums has been classified and managed. The work of waste management has been carried forward by operating the hotel management committee, mother group and others. ACAP has made a plan to bring the waste collected in the tourist area to Pokhara for processing. Internal and external tourists visiting the Annapurna region are requested to bring all reusable materials. “Waste management has been started as a campaign because there is no good message when there is haphazard garbage in tourist places”, said Dr. Kadaria, the head of the project.
89 wards of 16 local levels of Kaski, Lamjung, Manang, Myagdi and Mustang are included in the Annapurna conservation area spread over seven thousand six hundred square kilometers. Annapurna region has become the choice of foreign tourists due to its natural beauty, biological diversity, mountain life, potential, culture etc.
Every year, during the months of October-October and March-May, there is a rush of tourists who trek in the area. Annapurna Base Camp, Mardi Himal, Ghandruk, Tilicho Lake in Manang, Thorangla Bhanjyang, Upallo Mustang, Muktinath, Ghodepani in Myagdi are famous tourist destinations in Annapurna region.
