Mt Everest climbers must bring their excreta back
Kathmandu, Feb 8: In its bid to tackle the increasing environmental impact on Mount Everest, Nepal has announced a regulation requiring climbers to manage their own excreta and bring it back to the base camp for proper disposal, it emerged on Thursday. The Pasang Lhamu rural municipality, which covers most of the Everest region, has introduced the new rule as part of wider measures being implemented to combat the persistent problem of waste accumulation on the world’s highest peak, the BBC reported. “Our mountains have begun to stink,” the report quoted Mingma Sherpa, chairman of Pasang Lhamu rural municipality, as saying. Extreme temperatures on the world’s highest peak at 8,848.86 metres hinder the natural degradation of excrement. “We are getting complaints that human stools are visible on rocks and some climbers are falling sick. This is not acceptable and erodes our image,” Mingma said. Climbers attempting Mt Everest and nearby Mt Lhotse will be ordered to buy poo bags at base camps, which will be “checked upon their return”. (PTI)
Five Indo-Canadians nabbed
Toronto, Feb 8: Canadian police have arrested three men and two women of Punjab origin and laid almost two dozen charges in connection with extortion threats targeting the South Asian business community in the Greater Toronto Area. Gagan Ajit Singh, 23, Anmoldeep Singh, 23, Hashmeet Kaur, 25, and Lymanjot Kaur, 21 – all from Brampton and Mississauga – face a laundry list of charges, which include extortion, firearms-related offences, and fraud. The fifth suspect, Arundeep Thind, 39, has been charged separately in connection with an alleged extortion incident on January 26, the Peel Regional Police (PRP) said in a statement. Gagan Ajit and Anmoldeep were held for bail hearings and attended the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton, police said. While Iymanjot and Hashmeet will attend the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton at a later date, Thind was held for a bail hearing and attended the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton. (IANS)
Indian origin student at Purdue died by suicide
New York, Feb 8: A 23-year old Indian-American student at Purdue University, who was found dead in a nature preserve in Indiana this week, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, according to authorities. Sameer Kamath, a US citizen, was found dead in the woods on February 5 at approximately 5pm in NICHES Land Trust – Crow’s Grove in Williamsport, Indiana. Justin Brummett, Coroner at Warren County Coroner’s Office, said in a press release Wednesday that a forensic autopsy was performed on Kamath on February 6 in Crawfordsville, Indiana. The press release from the coroner’s office said that the preliminary cause of death is a “”gunshot wound of the head” and Kamath died by “suicide”. “Through extensive investigation by the Warren County Coroner’s Office in conjunction with multiple other local and federal agencies, we are now able to release a preliminary cause and manner of death,” the release said. The coroner’s office said that prior to releasing this information, Kamath’s family was notified of the results. Kamath’s death is the latest in a string of tragic incidents among students of Indian-origin and from India in the US. (PTI)