The little pleasures of mountaineering — escaping into the bountiful Nature and discovering yourself while getting lost — have disappeared due to its vulgarisation, as has happened in the case of Mount Everest (“ Mission Everest Inc ,” FAQ, June 15).
The fragile ecology of the peak is adversely affected due to overcrowding and littering of the glaciers and camps. If this so-called tourism boost continues at the present pace, the day is not far away when this pristine peak would be called the ‘world’s highest garbage dump’. The recent crumbling of Hillary Step should be a strict warning to stop exploiting our mountain ecosystem. Efforts must be put in not only by the government but also by NGOs and citizens themselves to prevent soil erosion, trampling of vegetation and excessive waste disposal caused by incessant expeditions. Instead of alleviating the effects of global warming, we are just aggravating the grave situation through our mindless acts, just to satisfy our ego.
Kriti Chachra,
New Delhi
