Gangtok, July 27: Seven peaks, all below 20,000 ft, in west and north Sikkim and not listed among the eight sacred mountains might soon be thrown open to trekkers.

The eight sacred peaks, however, will remain untouched. Trekking and expedition have been banned on these mountains, including Mt Kanchenjunga (8,585 m), under the Sacred Places of Worship Act, implemented in the hill state in 2000. Though the peak was first scaled in 1955 from the Sikkim side, the climbers did not climb the last 6 ft out of respect for the religious sentiments of the people of the state. Since then till 2000 ? when it was banned altogether ? all climbers were told not to scale the last six feet of Mt Kanchenjunga, the guardian deity of the state.

Mt Simvo, Goecha Peak, Fork Peak, Pao Hungri and Mt Sioniolchu are some of the other sacred mountains. Earlier, only Tingchenkhang (19,200 ft) and Mt Jopuno (19,156 ft), were allowed to be scaled.

The peaks which have been identified for trekking by the tourism department were placed before a committee, constituted by the government last month, to study and explore the potentials of mountaineering in Sikkim.

The committee, headed by additional secretary in the home department D.P. Sharma as its chairman, will examine the proposal carefully and in details, before considering it. After deliberations at a meeting held on Monday, it was unanimously agreed upon that two subcommittees ? one to delve into the technical aspects and the other to handle the administrative procedures ? would be formed so that the proposed peaks are opened for trekking and mountaineering.

Of the seven peaks, three are in Chaurigang, West Sikkim. They are Mt Kangla Kang (5,560 m), Frey?s Peak (5,830 m) and Mt Narsing (5,825 m). The remaining four peaks are Lam Wangden in Lachen (5,862 m), Burumkhangcha, Lako Khangse (5,852 m) and Twin Peak in Lachen.

Deputy secretary (information and publicity) Siphora Targain said: ?The technical subcommittee will meet later this week to discuss the final identification process, rescue operations, litter control, organisers of expeditions and the rate of porters before submitting its recommendations to the committee. The other committee will work out the administrative aspects like permit procedures, royalty for the expeditions and insurance aspects.?

The subcommittees will comprise, among others, members of the tourism department and officials of the Sonam Gyatso Mountaineering Institute, Sikkim Amateur Mountaineering Institute and the Geological Survey of India.

The final report will be submitted to the committee on August 9. The announcements of the opening of the peaks will be made during the Khangchendzonga Festival scheduled for September this year when the state commemorates the 50th year of the first successful ascent of the peak.

Mountaineers of repute including members of the first expedition will come down to Gangtok to attend the festival to be held on a grand scale.