West Bengal Govt sets new rules for climbers to attempt big peaks

The Govt. of West Bengal, India has set new rules for the climbers to attempt all eight-thousand-meter peaks. A press conference was held today for releasing the guideline.

1. The age of the mountaineer intending to undergo an expedition must be under 50 yrs. (On the 1st January of the year of expedition).
2.  It is mandatory on the part of the mountaineer intending to participate in Mt. Everest (8,848 mtr.)  expedition or any other expedition to a peak of more than 8,000 mtrs. of height to have the experience of conquering at least 4 peaks of 6,000 mtrs. in the last five years.
3. To have full body medical test of the intending explorer from Govt. Hospital  is mandatory. Moreover,  getting special medical check up done by a cardiologist & a pulmonologist is a must and the report of the said medical test has to be produced before the members of thr Selection Committee. The fitness certificate issued only by the SSKM (P.G.) Hospital or Calcutta Medical College & Hospital will be treated as valid.
4. It is mandatory on the part of the intending explorer to have family insurance & insurance related to rescue expedition (including the hiring cost of helicopter & the cost towards sherpas).
5. The Govt. of West Bengal will send the names of the explorers to the Govt. of Nepal who have received financial assistance from the WBMASF. The Govt. of West Bengal will not bear any responsibility of the explorers who participated in the  expedition at their own or without informing the Govt. of West Bengal beforehand.
6. It is mandatory to submit the detailed information of the  concerned agency providing assistance to the mountaineers organizing the expedition as well as the Base Camp Manager (name, ph. nos., email id etc. of the responsible agency/person) and their local contact nos. before the committee.
7. A committee will be formed to enquire into the above necessary matters and the qualification of the applicant mountaineers with the following members :
    a. The Pr. Secy., Dept. of Youth Services.
    b. Four Everesters namely 1. Basanta Singha Ray 2. Debashis Biswas 3. Ujjal Roy 4. Dipankar Ghosh
    c. Director of Youth Services
    d. The officer of Dept. of Youth Services who is in charge of the mountaineering matters.
    e. One cardiologist.
    f. One general physician