Pokhara, Feb. 18 -- Annapurna Rural Municipality has imposed a ban on the operation of chartered helicopter flights in the Annapurna Base Camp region. The municipality recently announced its plan to restrict helicopters from flying in the area. It will, however, allow rescue helicopters to fly to the area.

The fourth council meeting of the rural municipality had decided to prohibit helicopters in the region in the last fiscal year. The ward office of Annapurna-11 had registered an application with the District Administration Office requesting to stop commercial flights citing its adverse effects on the region's ecology and tourism.

Him Bahadur Gurung, chairman of Annapurna Rural Municipality Ward No. 11, said the number of chartered hel...