Nepal cabinet meet at Everest base

With icy winds blowing on a sunny morning, 24 of Nepal’s 27 ministers, in layers of protective clothing, and armed with oxygen tanks, held a historic meeting at Kala Patthar, 17,192 ft above sea level. Utpal Parashar reports.

Updated on: Dec 5, 2009, 24:50:21 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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With icy winds blowing on a sunny morning, 24 of Nepal’s 27 ministers — in layers of protective clothing, and armed with oxygen tanks — held a historic meeting at Kala Patthar, 17,192 ft above sea level.

The meeting at a Mt. Everest base camp is Nepal’s symbolic attempt at attracting worldwide attention on the threat posed to Himalayan glaciers by global warming, a day ahead of the Copenhagen meet on climate change.

The cabinet adopted a Mt. Everest Declaration, approved Prime Minister’s speech for the Copenhagen meet and announced setting up of Gaurishankar Conservation Area (spread across 2,000 square kilometres near Mt. Everest).

“It’s not a Nepali issue or the concern of countries in the Himalayan region alone. The impact of global change on the Himalayas would impact 1.3 billion people living in South Asia,” said Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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