Since 2000 Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) and Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) have been working together on the ‘Illegal Climbing Control Project’ in the Khumbu Region. SPCC is the authorized local institution responsible for controlling illegal climbers and monitoring garbage in 12 peaks (Island peak, Lobuche peak, Kusum Kangru, Kongde, Cholatse, Kyajo Ri, Nirekha, Ombigacho, ABI, Lobuche West, Khongmatse and Mera) of Khumbu Region registered under NMA.
SPCC regularly checks climbing permits of climbers at the base camps of NMA registered peaks. All climbers are required to keep their permit with them during their climbing period. If any of the climbers are found to be involved in illegal climbing, they have to face prosecution as per the laws governing regulations of Nepal. SPCC employs an inspection officer and sub-inspection staff at Island peak base camp to monitor illegal climbers. Since then the number of illegal climbers have dropped down.