Sikkim Threatens Protests Over Centre's Decision to Open Mt. Kanchenjunga for Expeditions

Gangtok, August 28, 2019:

Ever since the Home Ministry's issued notification came out in the media and social media stating that 137 Himalayan Peaks of India, including the third highest peak in the world, Mt Kanchenjunga, will be open for mountaineering expeditions and trekking for foreign nationals, civil societies and tribal organizations of Sikkim have started protesting the move.

Some organisations have even threatened that if the center fails to withdraw the notification before the Pang Lhabsol festival that falls on 13 September, which is dedicated to Mt Kanchenjunga, then they will hit the streets in protest.

A 'Save Khangchendzonga Forum' was constituted under the aegis of Press Club of Sikkim. The main demand of the forum would be withdrawal of the recent notification from Home Ministry to allow the scaling of Mt Kanchenjunga.

The newly open forum would be soon organising a signature campaign and after the signature campaign, various resource persons from concern organisations will deliver their talk on that subject matter.

Mount Kanchenjunga, the world's third highest peak, is located in Sikkim and is one of UNESCO's mixed heritage sites in India. However, locals believe that it is under threat of being exploited by climbers. Over the centuries, people of Sikkim have seen the mountain as their guardian deity and have worshipped the mountain. Also over the years, the mountain was off limits owing to religious and cultural sentiments of the people of Sikkim.

And the forum believed that the latest notification from the Home Ministry will open the gates for people to exploit and climb over Mount Khangchendzonga, a sacred mountain to the people of Sikkim.