Rate fixed for Khumbu Icefall- 4 March

Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation awarded a contract to Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), Namche Bazaar to construct Khumbu Icefall located enroute to Mt. Everest, Mt. Nuptse and Mt. Lhotse with effect from 7 March 2008 to 6 March 2010. The following rate has been fixed for the expedition teams for the use of route during mountaineering

NMA to sponsor Ist National Rafting Championship- 16 March

NMA sponsors first prize amounted Rs. 25000 for National Rafting Championship to be organized by Himalayan River Guide Association at Bhotekoshi from 4-5 April 2008.

NMA recommends 5 liaison officers- 18 March

NMA endorsed five out of twenty-eight mountaineers to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation for liaison officers selected by the committee headed by President of Everest Summiteers' Association with NMA, Nepal Mountaineering Instructors' Association and Nepal National Mountain Guide Association as members. All the twenty-eight mountaineers had participated in the orientation training of seven days conducted by Nepal Academy of Tourism ad Hotel Management.

No ban on climbing Himalayas including Everest: MoCTCA- 19 March

The Ministry of Culture, Tourism & Civil Aviation(MoCTCA) issuing a press statement on March 18, 2008 denied the claim that it has suspended the mountaineering expedition to Mt. Everest saying that the dissemination of false information quoting the ministry in this issue has drawn the attention of MoCTCA. MoCTCA in its press statement said that the Ministry has not banned climbing expedition on Mt. Everest and other Himalayan peaks and the policy related to mountaineering expeditions has remained same as previous. Issuing the press statement, Spokesperson of MoCTCA, Joint Secretary Mr. Prem Kumar Rai has requested all media to contact spokesperson of the ministry for the fact before disseminating the information concerning with the Ministry.

Election commission formed- 16 March

An election commission was formed under the convernership of professional lawyer Mr. Indra Lama with Mr. Ramesh Kumar KC and Mr. Purushottam Dhakal as members to hold election of NMA on 13 June 2008. Mr. KC is the representative of Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation where as Mr. Dhakal is a professional lawyer.

High Mountain Rescue Training 2008 (HMRT) completed- 24 March

NMA in coordination with Nepal Mountaineering Instructors' Association (NMIA) conducted High Mountain Rescue Training 2008 from 7 - 24 March 2008 in Langtang and Kathmandu. Altogether ten trainees having completed Advance Mountaineering Course participated in the training. Yves Pollet Villard Foundation and IFREMONT of France are also supporting the training program. The training aims to produce qualified mountain resources to develop mountaineering as safe tourism. NMA Board Member and Member- Mountain Rescue Committee Member Mr. Diwas Pokhrel coordinated the training on behalf of NMA, which focused on primary treatment methods, rock cliff rescue, navigation, descending victim, rescue anchors, cliff rescue on high mountain, victim search practice etc. Mr. Nawang Nima Sherpa was the chief instructor for the training. In this connection, NMA President Mr. Ang Tshering Sherpa distributed certificates to ten trainees of HMRT at a certificate distribution program organized at NMA on 26 March 2008. Photo by: Mr. Nawang Nima Sherpa

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