Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal including twenty-four senior government ministers, officials, national and international journalists, photographers, health and technical teams reached Lukla on Thursday to attend a historic 'cabinet meeting' set in the world's highest place, the foothills of Mt. Everest.

The meeting is being held in a bid to draw world's attention towards the impact of climate change in the Himalayas.

Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal is scheduled to chair the cabinet meeting to take place in Kala Patthar, where the Everest Base Camp is located, at 8:30 am on Friday. He reached Lukla at 2 pm via Ilam where he briefly attended a religious ceremony.

Security personnel marching in the backdrop of the Himalayas in Syangboche...

PM Nepal including ministers, government officials and other dignitaries are scheduled to stay in Lukla today, according to reports. They will be airlifted to Kala Patthar, which lies at an altitude of 17,192 feet, for the special meeting tomorrow. But national and international media-persons covering this rare event have already reached Syangboche from where a selected few will fly to Kala Pathhar tomorrow morning.

Three ministers -- Minister for Defense Bidhya Bhandari, Minister for Supplies Rajendra Mahato and State Minister for Science & Technology Indra Dhungel - did not accompany their cabinet colleagues to Lukla to attend the historic meet. Minister Bhandari, who had previously suffered from cancer, is said to have dropped out because of her health condition while Minister Mahato is on a foreign visit and Dhungel skipped owing to his advanced age.

Our correspondents covering the event said there is encouraging presence of journalists in Syangboche. The weather there is also said to be good, with partial sunshine and clear view of the Himalayas.

As per schedule, PM Nepal would give a briefing about the meeting at Syangboche (3,970m) of Khumjung village in Solukhumbu district. The team will first fly to Syangboche, where their clothes, oxygen masks and medicines will be inspected before flying them to Kalapatthar plateau at Gorakshep.

The Gorakshep meeting will last for 20 minutes where the cabinet will take decision on climate change. Other agendas set to be endorsed during the meeting include declaring the area located between Everest and Langtang, spread over 2,035 sq km, considered rich in biodiversity as conversation area and endorsing the Summiteers' Summit to Save the Himalaya Campaign slated for December 11 in Copenhagen.

The whole team will be back to Syangboche by 10.30 am.

Nepal television will live broadcast the meeting likely to be attended by some 70 persons, including the ministers.

The event is being held ahead of the world Copenhagen meet on climate change where PM Nepal is scheduled to deliver a three-minute speech on the theme. nepalnews.com