KATHMANDU: The Department of Tourism has deployed a five-member temporary field office at Everest Base Camp this spring, marking a formalised government presence on the mountain to coordinate and regulate the season's climbing activities across the Khumbu region.

The move establishes the office under government official leadership with a mandate to ensure mountaineering activities are conducted in an orderly, safe, and dignified manner. All operators — government and private — have been instructed to work within the bounds of the Mountaineering Regulations 2075 and other applicable laws throughout the season.

Among the office's key directives: no photo or video content may be shot or published from the Everest Base Camp area and above without prior departmental approval, and all incidents in the zone must be reported to the field office before any public announcement. The consistency of climbing-related information in the media is to be monitored and maintained through the office.

Expedition teams that have completed ascents of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Pumori, and Lingtren are required to submit verified details of summiteers and mountain guides to the field office, aiding official record-keeping and supporting post-season documentation.

The five-member team is led by coordinator Khimlal Gautam, with Gyanendra Shrestha, Chhiring Sherpa, Krishna Kumar Magar, and Sushil Sharma serving as field office staff.