ITBP-IMF expedition team first to scale Mt Kangto base

A joint expedition team of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF), New Delhi has recently become the first to scale the base of Mt Kangto in the Eastern Himalayas, along the Indo-China border.
The team achieved the feat on October 21.
Mt Kangto, with an altitude of 7,042 metres, is the highest peak of Arunachal Pradesh. All earlier attempts by expedition teams to reach the base of the peak were unsuccessful.
Covered in snow throughout the year, the virgin peak is the source of the Pachuk river, one of the main tributaries of the Kameng river in East Kameng district.

The ITBP-IMF Mt Kangto Joint Expedition-2016 was flagged off by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on September 25.
The team started the expedition from BOP (54 BN ITBP), Bameng and reached Mt Kangto base via Upper Liyak-Lada-Besai villages.

The distance from Besai village to Mt Kangto base is over 50 kms.
After reaching the base, the team unfurled the national flag.
Along the route, the team held a series of medical camps at various villages and distributed free medicines among the villagers.
The team expressed gratitude to the district administration, led by in-charge DC Tamuna Messar, for the logistics support provided in terms of ration, porters etc.

"Now the route from Besai to Mount Kangto base is explored and opened. It would provide an immense opportunity in the development of eco and adventure-tourism in the region," the team leader said.
The expedition team, comprising more than 50 members and porters, was led by ITBP Deputy Commandant Hari Singh, along with assistant commandants Prasad Sati and Dinesh Negi, and commanded by IG MS Rawat.