The business of ‘fake climbing’ in the mountains
Kathmandu. On 6 June 2016, Makalu Adventure Pvt. Ltd. organized an official press conference to inform about the successful climbing of Mt. Everest by an Indian couple Mr. Dinesh Rathod and Mrs. Tarkeshwari Rathod, thereby declaring them as the first Indian couple to climb Everest. But that claim barely held true for a week when another Indian couple Mr. Pradip Sahu and Chetana Sahu came forward with their own claim of being the first Indian couple to set Everest record. This dispute immediately triggered an investigation into the authenticity of Mr. and Mrs. Rathod climbing record.
Another Indian climber Satyarup Siddartha accused Rathod couple of manipulating his climbing picture on Everest by presenting it as their own. Dinesh, who was at the time constable at Maharashtra State Police, had claimed of climbing Everest on 23 May at 6.30am. Following this news, Maharashtra Government immediately announced an award of 1 Crore Indian rupees for the Rathod couple and also pledged to provide a piece of land for them for private housing. It appears the couple acquired the climbing certificate from Nepal’s Department of Tourism 4 days after the conference. Later the department cancelled their certificate and banned the couple from climbing in Nepal for 10 years following the report of fake climbing picture. Climbing Sherpas Furtemba and Phurba Sherpa along with Liaison officer Ganesh Timilsina were punished for their involvement but the company and other staffs were spared.
The climbing record of Mr Narendra Singh Yadav and Seemavani Goswami was also found to be fake. The tourism department subsequently cancelled their certificates and both were further prohibited from climbing in Nepal for 6 years, The Indian government, which had offered the prestigious Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2020 to Narendra, was also embroiled into the controversy. Seven Summit, the expedition organizer, was penalized Rs. 50,000 by the tourism department and Sherpa guides were fined Rs. 10000 each. The company is said to have blacklisted all the Sherpas involved in the expedition, according to Mingmar Sherpa of Seven Summit Treks and Expedition.
In 2018, Central Investigation Bureau arrested three staffs of Seven Summit on charges of forging a fake climbing permit letter for ’14 Peak Experience Everest Expedition 2018’. Seven Summit was found to have added the names of two extra climbers- one Australian and one Chinese- on the permit letter issued by the tourism department, increasing the tally of climbers from the original 12 to 14. In this case, the tourism department penalized the company a sum of Rs. 50000 while the climbers were deposit double the sum of the royalty fees, about US$22000 each, as fine.
Underage Indian climber Raghav Joneja was issued climbing certificate by the tourism department on May 21, 2013, which went against the Mountaineering Regulation that specifically prohibits anybody under 16 years to climb Everest. The original passport copy of Raghav reveals his birth date to be 1 Oct 1997 which appears to have been digitally manipulated to change it to 21 Jan 1997. Wikipedia states his age to be 15 yrs 7 months at the time or reaching the top of Mt. Everest, thereby confirming him to be the youngest Everest climber.
Chinese climber Gao Li was also placed under suspicion regarding his Manaslu climbing record dated 30 September 2016. Although his name appears in the record book published by the tourism department , he remains absent from the list of permits issued by the department in that year. The permit offered by the tourism department for the expedition team led by leader Jiyang Gui Li also do not list Gao Li as a climber. An inquiry committee was formed a month ago headed by Under Secretary Rajan Nepal to look into the matter but is yet to present its findings.
Clause 4 of Tourism Act 2035 clearly directs the government to impose either 5 years travel ban to Nepal or 10 years ban on mountaineering in Nepal if anyone is found to climb or attempting to climb mountain without official permit. If proven guilty, Chinese climber Gao Li could be prohibited from climbing activties in Nepal till 2026. Surprisingly enough, the tourism department recently issued permits to Gao Li for climbing Annapurna.
No additional details have been revealed by the investigation committee. “We are collecting necessary evidence,” informs coordinator Rajan Nepal, adding, “It may take some time to gather all information. We will soon bring the truth out.” Mingmar Sherpa of Seven Summit which had organized the expedition has expressed his willingness to fully assist the investigation committee. “I am ready to take full responsibility if found in fault but the tourism ministry also has a stake in it as the climbing certificate was issued by it. Our staffs are not the only ones to be blamed.”
Indian climber Nahita Manjur was handed climbing certificate in Spring 2019 for successfully scaling Everest. Mr. Dambar Thapa, a Police Inspector, was the liaison officer for the Manjur’s 11-member expedition and Snowy Horizon Expedition Company the expedition organizer. Another climber from UAE claimed to have climbed Everest at the same time but the tourism department denied him climber certificate citing anomaly in his record. Again, an inquiry panel was set up under Joint Secretary Ghanashyam Upadhyay to investigate into the matter.
According to tourism department Director Mrs. Mina Acharya, all documents from the findings have been sent to the tourism ministry for necessary action. The department has recommended the tourism ministry for stern action against more than 35 liaison officers. “We have made the recommendations, now it’s up to the ministry to take next step. Clause 38 of Tourism Act stipulates banning companies involved in spurious and unauthorized act for 1 to 5 years from conducing mountaineering activity or a fine of Rs. 10000 up to Rs. 50000.
Says Acharya, many companies and culprits have been punished after thorough investigation. “But often such news do not reach the public. However, there are few cases where the tourism ministry is yet to take action.” Some tourism entrepreneurs have complained about the punishment being too soft given the severity of fraudulent acts. “There have been instances of serious violation of government regulations which should have resulted in severe punishment, especially for the expedition organizers, “ says one entrepreneur in anonymity, “but they are let go after paying paltry fine. This looks fishy.”
Even the staffs working in the tourism department admit hundreds of thousands dollars pass hands between the government officials and private companies to cover-up fraud cases. “They can influence the minister easily, forget about punishment,” reveals one government officer who has experience working with liaison officer. “Some companies have enough cash and are way more powerful than the officials at the ministry and tourism. Source Ekantipur.