SOLUKHUMBU: Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality has strongly objected to media reports alleging that guides in the Everest region are deliberately contaminating food and drinks to make tourists sick, calling the claims baseless and damaging to the Khumbu region, the Sherpa community, and Nepal's tourism industry.

In the notice issued on Sunday, Chairperson Mingma Chhiri Sherpa expressed serious concern over unverified allegations published by various national and international media outlets linking deliberate food contamination to fake helicopter rescue operations in the Everest region.

The municipality said such reporting has had a serious negative impact on the reputation of the Khumbu region, the Sherpa community, local service providers, and the tourism industry as a whole, and issued a strong objection to the unsubstantiated content being circulated.

The notice also cited the Central Investigation Bureau's formal statement that its ongoing investigation has to date found no evidence to support the food contamination allegations, further affirming their unverified and baseless nature.

According to Sherpa, the municipality is actively working in close coordination with relevant law enforcement authorities, tourism regulatory bodies, and community stakeholders to prevent, investigate, and take strict legal action against any form of fraudulent rescue activity within the Khumbu region.

All media outlets were called upon to report on the issue only in a fact-based and evidence-based manner. The notice appealed against the publication of misleading content without evidentiary basis on matters of such sensitivity.

The municipality reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the credibility of the tourism sector, the safety of visitors, and the dignity and reputation of the local community.