KATHMANDU, Feb. 24 -- The Department of Tourism (DoT) has refused to release budget to Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) for Peak Profile project in the current fiscal year, citing unsatisfactory work progress.

Aiming to create a scientific database of Nepal's peaks, a sub-committee formed by the department had assigned NMA the work to create the profile. The profile will include details of 414 peaks, among which 86 are unclimbed peaks. It is expected that climbers will attempt those unclimbed peaks after the profile gets ready.

"We are not saying that the department won't provide budget for the project. We have told NMA to first complete their work and submit expenditure details, so that we could release the budget of this fiscal ...