Phungling (Taplejung), 23 January: As the existence of glaciers, lakes, and Himalayas is increasingly in danger due to climate change, Sirijangha Rural Municipality has embarked on a campaign to save the Himalayas.
The municipality has stated that a campaign to save the Himalaya will be launched by discussing the impacts of climate change and mitigation among the concerned agencies through a tourism festival at the Kanchenjunga base camp. According to Sirijangha Rural Municipality spokesperson Bam Prasad Gautam, the festival will involve discussions with representatives of relevant agencies on the impacts of climate change on glacial lakes, glaciers, and the Himalayan region, and on solutions to the problems through research and observation.
He informed that the rural municipality’s project aims to study and observe the impact of climate change on the Himalayan region in recent times, as well as promote tourism through the festival. Kanchenjunga is the third highest mountain in the world and the second highest in Nepal.
Spokesperson Gautam said that the rural municipality is working to make the journey easy and enjoyable by constructing adventure trails in partnership with the federal and local governments for those who come to see the Kanchenjunga Mountains. According to him, the festival to be held in the upcoming month of Baisakh aims to publicize the adventure trails under construction, promote tourism, and introduce local art, culture, and traditions.
Spokesperson Gautam informed that the 4,500-meter-high Kanchenjunga Marathon competition will be organized during the festival. The festival organizing secretariat committee had fixed the date and venue and submitted it in the executive meeting held on Mangsir 23(8 Dec).
The same meeting unanimously decided to hold a festival in Naya Jhodeni from April 13 to 15(26-28 April), informed Dr. Chitra Mabo, Vice-Chairman of Sirijangha Rural Municipality. He said, “There are plans to hold a marathon competition and cultural programs in the festival to be held in Jhodeni on the occasion of the New Year.” Vice-Chairman Mabo said that the distance between Naya Jhodeni and Machhewa has been maintained for the marathon competition.
This place is the best view point of the Kanchenjunga mountain range, said Ward Chairman of Sirijungha-8 Krishna Kumar Gurung. According to him, the rural municipality had monitored the under-construction adventure trekking route from Amji River in Yamphudin to Kanchenjunga Base Camp last October and also studied the feasibility of the festival project. The rural municipality has stated that the festival project will help increase the arrival of domestic and foreign tourists to the Kanchenjunga region.
According to Ward Chairman Gurung, one can observe the mountain ranges from Makalu to Kanchenjunga from Jhandedanda. “This is the main feature of this place. Observation of chauri and yak, Nepal’s national flower, Lali guras and mountains covered with mountains, white mountains on the top of the mountains, Himalayan dhupi and pine trees have made the beauty of this place more attractive. This beauty will relieve the fatigue of tourists and provide entertainment,” he said.
Gautam, spokesperson of the rural municipality, said that it is believed that the festival will make domestic tourists aware of the importance of the mountains and encourage them to visit them. He mentioned that organizing the festival at this location will be less expensive and it is expected to help promote tourism as it will allow visitors to observe many mountains from close up.
