NAMCHE BAZAAR, Nov 1 - Maoist cadres have been extorting from trekkers at the Mt Everest region of the district.

Kirat State Committee - a sister organization of Maoists - cadres collect money forcefully from trekkers at Ghat in the district. They said that they had collected forced donations as per the decision of their district leadership.

Earlier, they extorted from tourists at Lukla Airport. Following stringent protest from locals and hoteliers, Maoist cadres were compelled to abandon their donation drive for a short while. However, they have resumed extortion at Ghat now.

Maoists claimed they had collected voluntary donations from tourists. However, a tourist has to pay at least 100 rupees to them.

Similarly, Maoist cadres demanded at least 50 rupees each from trekking guides and 20 rupees each from porters at Lukla.

Purna Bahadur Tamang, a trekking guide said Maoists had extorted from them in the name of issuing identity cards.

Local tourism entrepreneurs and political parties have denounced their activities and asked them to halt their atrocities at the earliest.