The dispute between the Sagarmatha National Park, home to Mount Everest, and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal over restricting helicopter sightseeing tours of the world’s tallest peak has intensified.
A day after the park authorities issued directives restricting choppers from flying over the national park during Everest sightseeing tours starting January 1, the aviation regulator on Friday said the park has no legal ground to enforce such a ban.
The regulator has asked the helicopter companies to continue the flights unless it decides otherwise.
The dispute highlights the larger tension between Nepal’s high-end tourism and conservation in one of the world’s most iconic natural regions.
“We are making this unpopular decision to…
