WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 210 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 37.0 C 14.2 C Tuesday, September 22, 2020 | 06-06-2077 Simara Jomsom Distribution of school book on Nepal’s borders and territory halted Land management and foreign affairs ministries have reservations about the textbook since Ministry of Education had prepared it without consulting them. BINOD GHIMIRE The Ministry of Land Management, KATHMANDU, SEPT 21 after the study of the book, on Thursday, prior to the Cabinet meet- Days after the Ministry of Education ing, had submitted its concerns to launched a controversial secondary Chief Secretary Lok Darshan Regmi school reference book on the country’s pointing out over three dozen errors borders and territories, it is now halt- and “inappropriate” materials includ- ing its distribution since it was found ing four from the preface. to have a number of factual errors and “There are errors in the books the “inappropriate” content. Ministry of Education prepared on a The Cabinet on Thursday directed subject that it did not have expertise the Ministry of Education to halt the on,” said Janak Raj Joshi, spokesper- distribution and not to print any more son at the Ministry of Land copies of the textbook following seri- Management. “The Education Ministry ous reservations from the Ministry of stepped on the jurisdiction of the Land Management, Cooperatives and Land Management and Foreign Poverty Alleviation and Ministry of Affairs ministries.” Foreign Affairs. “We are amazed to see some of the “We concluded that distribution of facts in the book.” POST PHOTO: HEMANTA SHRESTHA the erroneous book should be stopped,” The book states Nepal’s new area to A Buddha Air aircraft approaches Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport on Monday. Domestic airlines resumed operations on Monday nearly after six months as flights were restricted in Minister for Law, Justice and be 147,641.28 square kilometres includ- the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. As many as 31 flights were conducted on the first day of the resumption of internal flights, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. Parliamentary Affairs Shiva Maya ing the 460.28 sq km area of the Kalapani Tumbahangphe told the Post referring area which was included in Nepal’s to the Cabinet meeting. “It wasn’t a political map on May 20 by the Cabinet. right move to publish a book on sensi- “The Department of Survey, which tive issues with so many wrong facts.” is the official agency that declares the Education Minister Giriraj Mani total area of the country, however, Ang Rita Sherpa, who climbed Everest 10 Pokharel on September 15 released the hasn’t made any decision on the area,” 110-page book titled, Self Study Joshi told the Post. Material on Nepal’s Territory and A senior official at the Land Border which dwells around histori- Management Ministry said the ban in cal facts about the country’s territory the distribution of the book was nec- times without bottled oxygen, dies at 72 and its border dispute mainly with the essary for five reasons. southern neighbour. >> Continued on page 2 The ‘Snow Leopard’ first reached the top of the world in 1983 and the last time in 1996. In 1987 he became the first person to climb the mountain in winter without bottled oxygen. newspaper gave him the epithet ‘Snow Leopard’. The world today knows him by this name. “I don’t remember the date exactly. But, we had featured his valour and bravery. He was unstoppable. A man who frequently reached an altitude of 8,848 metres without supplementary oxygen,” said Wagle, who later became the editor of Kantipur. “It’s a great loss for the mountain- eering community and the nation.” Ang Tshering Sherpa, former presi- dent of Nepal Mountaineering Association, and his good friend, told the Post that Ang Rita had lately been suffering from a brain problem. He breathed his last in his daugh- ter’s home in Jorpati, he said. His body has been kept at a Sherpa Gomba and he will be cremated on Wednesday as per Sherpa tradition, said Ang Tshering. Ang Rita, a native of Thamo village in Solukhumbu, last stood atop the world’s tallest mountain in 1996, the 10th time without supplementary oxy- gen. His first eight-thousander was the 8,167-metre Dhaulagiri in western Nepal with a Belgian expedition in 1982. The mountain is considered one of the more difficult mountains to climb. “A young, tall and strong man, he succeeded in his first attempt,” recalls Ang Tshering. His Dhaulagiri success led him to the world’s highest peak in 1983 where he guided an American team, he said. After that, he never looked back. The Guinness World Records in 2017 POST FILE PHOTO recognised him as the only person on Ang Rita Sherpa in June 2017 with the Guinness World Records certificate recognising his the planet to have climbed Everest 10 unparalleled feat of climbing Mount Everest 10 times without bottled oxygen between times without bottled oxygen. 1983 and 1996. He was also recognised by Guinness Guinness World Records office, pre- as the first man to climb Everest in SANGAM PRASAIN senting the facts and figures. And in winter without supplementary oxygen KATHMANDU, SEPT 21 June 2017, the certificate arrived, 21 in December 1987. years after his last ascent on Everest,” In Nepal, the state honoured him Thaneshwor Guragain, a manager at said Guragain. with Gorkha Dakshin Bahu First Seven Summit Treks, recalls Ang Rita Ang Rita Sherpa survived that Class and the Tri Shakti Patta First Sherpa thinking that the end was near stroke and lived to hold the certificate Class. in April 2017 when he was being treat- proudly in his hands. “In the last three decades, no one ed at a hospital in Kathmandu after he Ang Rita, who had climbed Mt has succeeded in breaking his record suffered a stroke. Everest 10 times without bottled oxy- even if there were several attempts He then remembers an interview of gen, died after a lengthy illness in made to climb in winter,” said the famed mountaineer years ago Kathmandu on Monday. He was 72. Guragain. “Anyone can easily imagine where he said he wanted a Guinness He is survived by two sons and a how difficult it was to climb Everest World Record certificate. daughter. without supplementary oxygen.” “We immediately wrote to the “He was soft-spoken and normally Ang Rita claimed that he felt more did not speak much. When we comfortable climbing without bottled asked questions he answered in oxygen. few words,” recalls journalist Kami Rita Sherpa, who holds the Narayan Wagle. “In our early record for most ascents of Mt Everest, days of journalism, Ramyata remembers Ang Rita as a strong and Limbu and I would chase Ang dedicated man. Rita a lot. Whenever he came to “His dedication as a professional Kathmandu, we would meet him climber can never be described in and ask him about his mountain- words. It needs determination, pas- eering exploits.” sion and courage to climb Everest A story appeared in Kantipur without the use of supplementary daily, the sister publication of oxygen. Ang Rita did it 10 times,” he the Post, after his eighth ascent told the Post. of Everest in May 1993 and the >> Continued on page 2 C M Y K TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 | 02 NATIONAL Ang Rita Sherpa, who climbed Everest ... >> Continued from page 1 times, had collapsed at Everest base tain salary by appointing him as a Kami Rita, who has climbed Everest camp due to altitude sickness. manager and mobilising him at Everest 24 times, said Ang Rita is a source of “Doctors had said he had developed base camp,” said Ang Tshering. inspiration for many foreign and hydrocephalus meaning water had col- After he was forced to retire from Nepali climbers. lected in his brain,” Ang Tshering said. the job due to his worsening health, “It’s hard to break his record now.” “It was never proven how the illness the association appointed him cere- Ang Rita was in bad health in his developed, but we suspected it may monial director with a salary of village in 1999. Ang Tshering remem- have been because of his long exposure Rs15,000 per month. bers how he hired a chopper and flew to high altitude without oxygen.” Besides that, Nepal Mountaineering him to a hospital in Kathmandu for Despite his stature, fame and Association also supported him with treatment. Despite poor health, his records, he struggled financially nearly Rs1 million financial grant for friends and juniors in the mountain- throughout his life. his treatment but the government eering fraternity complained, Ang “Ang Rita was a national hero but never supported him. Rita was too fond of drinking. struggled financially,” said Kami Rita. “He struggled. He made the country Ang Rita’s health worsened after After Ang Rita stopped climbing in proud. But the government knew noth- the death of his eldest son in April 1996 due to poor health, he struggled ing about his situation,” lamented 2012. Karsang Namgyal Sherpa, an to manage his finances. Kami Rita. “There are many Sherpas experienced climber, who had con- “We [Nepal Mountaineering who die for the nation but their contri- quered the 8848-metre peak several Association] even provided him a cer- bution is barely recognised.” POST PHOTO: DEEPAK KC A cloth seller walks his bicycle laden with clothing items at Teku, Kathmandu, on Monday. Pregnant women and postpartum mothers hit hardest by pandemic Seven women died of delivery complications in Banke within two months.