KATHMANDU, Nov 1: The Elite Skydiving Company has responded to objections raised concerning the recent skydiving venture led by record-breaking mountaineer Nirmal Purja in the Everest region.
The company's director, Mingma David Sherpa, emphasized that all the necessary legal processes, including obtaining permissions, consents, and approvals, were duly completed before the skydiving event on October 20.
These legal procedures involved securing authorization from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation on October 6, and the National Park under the Ministry of Forests and Environment.
Pokhara Skydiving-2019 takes off in Pokhara
Sherpa explained, "We have operated in full compliance with the rules, which necessitate obtaining permissions from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Tourism, CAAN, and the National Park. Therefore, there was no requirement to seek permission from the tourism department."
Rakesh Gurung, the department's director, defended their inquiry into the matter, stating that because skydiving in the Himalayan region is categorized as an adventure sport or activity, the department has a legitimate right to engage with related companies in such instances.
He clarified, "Given that skydiving can be considered an adventure activity, we have made initial contact to gather information about this particular activity." Gurung noted that the department lacked prior information on this type of adventure activity in the high Himalayan region, justifying their inquiry.
Director Sherpa highlighted the tremendous potential for adventure activities in Nepal, motivating their pursuit of commercial skydiving. Simultaneously, Nirmal Purja, the renowned mountaineer, initiated skydiving in the Everest region, branding it 'Sky Dive Nims Dai.' He anticipates that this endeavor will contribute to the nation's tourism industry and employment opportunities.
