Sikkim Seeks Withdrawal Of Centre’s Notification Opening Up Sacred Peaks Of State For Mountaineering

The Sikkim government has requested the Centre to withdraw its notification opening up 24 peaks of the state for mountaineers, a top state official said, reports Business Standard.

In a bid to boost the lucrative adventure tourism industry in the country, the Central government recently decided to open 137 peaks across four states, including 24 peaks in Sikkim, for foreign tourists.

Sikkim’s chief secretary Alok Kumar Shrivastava on Monday (26 August) said that the state government has sent a letter to the Centre stating that opening up of the peaks in the Sikkim to mountaineers is a “matter of grave concern” for the state and sought immediate withdrawal of the notification.

State Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, during a meet with minister Sonam Lama and home as well as tourism secretaries, said that he, along with Lama, will raise the issue with the Union Home Minister in view of sensitivity of locals towards the mountain.

The local residents of Sikkim revere several peaks in state as sacred. As per a report, The Sikkimese people have been worshiping Mount Kangchenjunga as their guardian deity since centuries and it has been connected with the sentiments of the people.