ISLAMABAD, Sept 17: The Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) is undertaking ‘Baltoro Clean-Up Expedition 2005’. The expedition launched on September 15 is expected to last till first week of October. It will undertake cleaning of camps on the Baltoro glacier, including main base camps of K2, Broad Peak and Gasherbrums.

The team employing local porters will collect all burnable and non-burnable garbage, including packing tins, cartons, polythene bags, food stuff etc., and carry it out of the area for proper disposal below Askole — the last village en route to Baltoro glacier.

The expedition, being led by ACP Executive Council member MH Muzzaffar Faizi, includes Wazir Jaffar Shigri, ACP representative at Skardu, and Nisar Hussain.

The expedition is being financed by the ACP from its own resources, whereas the Ministry of Tourism has promised to contribute towards funding of this clean up operation.

Mountaineering expeditions and trekking, especially during previous and current year, have resulted in large accumulation of waste at various camping areas on the glacier.

The deposits of garbage and human waste lying in the camps are seriously damaging the local ecology besides posing a threat to the visitors’ health.

It may be mentioned here that 62km long Baltoro glacier is the jewel of Karakoram. It houses four peaks rising above 8,000 metres, including K2, Broad Peak, Gasherbrums and many other high and challenging peaks.