Kathmandu, April 29 (IANS) A total of 3,000 kg of solid waste has been collected from the Mt Everest region since the beginning of the Nepal government-backed Sagarmatha Cleaning Campaign on April 14, the media reported on Monday.

Dandu Raj Ghimire, Director General of Department of Tourism, informed that of the total garbage collected so far, 2,000 kg has been sent to Okhaldhunga while 1,000 kg has been brought to Kathmandu using Nepali Army helicopters for disposal, reports The Himalayan Times.

"Our team has now reached the Everest Base Camp for the cleaning campaign. All the necessary things including food, water and shelter have already been arranged there," Ghimire said.

The Department estimates that around 23 million Nepalese rupees will be spent for the campaign. 

"Under this campaign we will be collecting around 5,000 kg of garbage from the Base Camp area, while 2,000 kg of garbage will be collected from the South Col region and around 3,000 kg from Camp II and Camp III areas," Ghimire added.

The team also located four bodies while cleaning the Base Camp.

This is the first time that the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, the Ministry of Environment, Nepali Army, Nepal Mountaineering Association, Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality and Nepal Tourism Board are working jointly to clean up the world's highest peak.

The Department has estimated that at least 500 foreign climbers and over 1,000 climbing support staff will visit higher camps of Mt Everest as well as Mt Lhotse, the fourth tallest mountain.