Nepal to monitor Everest ascent attempts more closely

KATMANDU, Nepal, Aug. 2 (UPI) -- Expeditions on Mount Everest will come under closer scrutiny starting next year and a government team will be located at base camps, Nepalese officials say.

The teams will monitor and assist expedition teams, coordinate rescues and protect the environment, said Purna Chandra Bhattarai, head of the tourism industry division that oversees mountaineering.

"A need for a permanent government mechanism at the Everest base camp... [will] regulate mountaineering activities," Bhattarai told the BBC.

The announcement comes after recent reports of incidents on the world's tallest peak, including a fight between local Sherpa guides and mountaineers.

The decision to put government teams on the slopes of Everest was made after officials determined regulating mountaineering activities from the capital Katmandu was inefficient.

"When there is the presence of the government on the ground, the message 'violating the law is punishable' becomes clearer," Bhattarai said.

More than 30 expedition teams attempt to scale Mount Everest every year.