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I blog di Tamara e Klaus

July 3 2014

Clarification

With regard to the clamor raised by the discovery of a pile of rubbish by my team at Broad Peak b.c, I would like to clarify the following:

 

1) The discovery took place on 24 June. I photographed a fresh pile of trash that the wind was dispersing at the recently abandoned Broad Peak b.c, and reported to the competent Park Authorities.

 

2) During my 6 treks along the Baltoro, over 14 years, I had never seen something like that, so my team and I, intrigued, we examined and photographed the individual wastes, to try to understand their origin.

 

3) Among the rubbish left, there were papers written in German, several postcards of the expeditions of David Lama, empty containers in glass or plastic labeled with brands such as Felix Gulaschsuppe, Nutridrink, Milka Chocolade, etc: clearly, all non-Pakistani products but rather German or Austrian.

 

4) On the morning of the same day of our arrival in B.P b.c., June 24, the Austrian expedition leaded by David Lama had just left the same base camp. In fact, we greeted them in Concordia during our trek approach to K2. No other expedition had left that day or days immediately preceding the BP base camp.

 

After my twit, Hunza Guides, the Agency which manages the logistics of David Lama’s expeditions, placed a timely remedy to the problem, on June 27: in collaboration with the EvCNRk2 expedition, they took care to remove and to treat the waste in the appropriate manner, as it results from the communication sent by by Amirullah Khan (Amir) President of the Hunza Guides Pakistan on the site facebook of Tamara Lunger on July 2.

 

I would like to point out that the aim of my message was not to spoil the reputation of anyone, let alone of an estimated agency as the Hunza Guides nor that of David Lama: sometimes the expedition leaders are unaware of what happens and they can not physically control everything.

On our part, we could not pretend nothing has happened, and pull straight, letting the plastic waste transported by the wind, travel uncontrolled through the Godwin Austen Glacier.

I am pleased that our reporting has helped to solve the problem, which

existed on June 24, as documented by photographic and visual testimony of the people present at the discovery, including the delegate of our Agency, ATP, Mr. Sultan, our l.o., captain Ahmed and my expedition’s mates, Tamara Lunger and Nikolaus Gruber.

We all care about a clean Baltoro, in the interest of those who live and work there.

I hope this puts an end to the controversy, and that it may have been useful, however, to improve the condition of the fragile glacial environment that surrounds us.

 

Giuseppe Pompili