Kathmandu, May 28: The Nepal government on Monday concluded its clean-up drive at the end of this year's climbing season on the Mount Everest. The authorities have recovered four bodies and collected nearly 11 tonnes of garbage that piled up on the mountain for decades. The mountaineering and other activities have been increasing in the peak since the last few years which has led to an ugly footprint they leave behind. Traffic Jam on Mt Everest Caused by 200 Climbers; 16 Including 8 Indians Die Due to Overcrowding And Exhaustion.

According to media reports, the bodies were brought down by helicopter last week. The identity of the victims is being identified. The clean-up initiative was launched in April and involved a team of 12 Sherpa climbers who spent more than a month cleaning the peak. Mount Everest Turns Into World's Highest Rubbish Dump!

"Along with the rubbish, they also collected four dead bodies from the high camps of Mount Everest that were brought to Kathmandu last week," Dandu Raj Ghimire, the Director-General of Nepal's Tourism Department, told Efe news. Ghimire said that a similar drive was also launched by China to clean the north side of the 8,848 metres high peak. Dead Bodies Appear on Mt Everest; Climate Change Cause Melting Glaciers, Exposing Corpses of Unfortunate Climbers.

"There are big environmental concerns and criticism from the international community that Nepal has not shown seriousness to maintain the beauty of the iconic peak," Ghimire said while vowing that the Nepalese government would continue to clear the garbage left on the world's highest mountain.

Several tonnes of oxygen cylinders, old equipment, rubbish and human waste were cleared from the mountain. Every year during spring, hundred of mountaineers spend thousands of dollars to conquer the peak. As they scale higher, they leave behind a trail of litter.

In 2014, the government came up with one of its kind rule forcing every member of the expedition team to bring back eight kilograms of garbage, in addition to the litter they create themselves. Each expedition has to deposit 4000 dollars, which is refunded if every climber of the team returns with 8 kg of waste.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 28, 2019 11:25 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).