Himal Press 
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KATHMANDU: The Airlines Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) has said that helicopter companies will not stop operating commercial flights to the Everest region from January 1.
Issuing a statement on Thursday, AOAN said helicopter companies will not be compelled to abide by the decision taken by the Sagarmatha National Park Office and other local groups, arguing that they had overstepped their jurisdiction.
AOAN was responding to a circular issued to helicopter companies by the Sagarmatha National Park Office on Wednesday, banning commercial helicopter flights within the national park’s core area and buffer zones, citing environmental threats to forests, wildlife and the region’s ecosystem.
“We want to make it clear that no other Acts, except for Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) Act, 1996 and Civil Aviation Act, 2015, will be attracted to flight take-off, landing, and aviation security,” AOAN said in the statement.
AOAN has said that since helicopter companies are registered with the federal government and pay taxes accordingly, they are not obligated to pay any taxes or fees to the local government.
