The club has collected only 55% (Rs1,73,25,000) of the budgeted Rs3.15 crore so far.
With only 90 days left for Giripremi’s ambitious Pune Everest 2012 expedition to take off, the club is facing a severe fund crunch. The club has collected only 55% (Rs1,73,25,000) of the budgeted Rs3.15 crore so far.
According to Team Giripremi, a majority of funds collected so far has been only from individuals, with corporates in the city yet to contribute.
Giripremi, the city-based mountaineering group formed in 1982, has had its teams successfully scale 35 Himalayan peaks and is one of the most experienced of the city’s mountaineering clubs.
Their most recent achievement has seen them place as many as five climbers atop Mt Nun, the 23,400 feet Himalayan mountain in the Leh-Ladakh region, in July 2010.
Pune Everest 2012 is Giripremi’s ambitious project which could see the club place a record eight climbers atop the world’s tallest peak in a 70-day expedition, beginning March 16, 2012. No civilian expedition has been able to put as many people atop the Everest so far.
Expedition leader Umesh Zirpe wore a worried look at the Giripremi’s Apte Road office on Saturday. He said, “We have made detailed presentations to many large corporates in the city over the last one year. Most of them have been encouraging in their response, but financial contribution is awaited.”
“If corporates do not help us with funds, we would be forced to cut the team size. This would be unfortunate, as climbers who have trained hard for the last two years would have to be left out.”
Giripremi expedition member, Bhushan Harshe told DNA, “We have collected Rs50-Rs5,00,000 from individuals.”
According to Harshe, Giripremi climbers, who were hitherto only training, resting and keeping fit, were now forced to collect funds.
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