Nantou County has officially enacted its Mountain Hiking Activity Management Self-Governance Ordinance, but further details such as the delineation of general and special mountain areas, hiking insurance coverage limits, and the number of insured individuals still need to be finalized before the ordinance can be effectively enforced.
Nantou County has formulated a Mountain Hiking Activity Management Self-Governance Ordinance, which was approved by the county government meeting and passed three readings in the county council. It was submitted to the Ministry of the Interior for recordation on November 15 last year, approved on January 13 this year, and officially announced and implemented by the county government on February 2. In the future, hikers who violate regulations while hiking in Nantou’s mountainous areas and require rescue may have to cover costs such as rescuers’ fees, vehicle fuel, and aircraft fuel.
Chen Hongming, head of the Disaster Rescue Division at the Nantou County Government Fire Bureau, said today that although the Mountain Hiking Activity Management Self-Governance Ordinance came into effect on the date of its announcement, the county’s mountain areas are still being divided into general controlled mountain areas and special controlled mountain areas. Additionally, issues such as insurance coverage limits and the number of insured individuals still need to be coordinated with the Chinese Republic Insurance Association of Property Insurance Industry. The self-governance ordinance still requires time to complete its supporting measures before it can be effectively enforced.
According to the ordinance, those entering mountain areas announced by Nantou County for hiking activities must apply for permission. Except in cases of natural disasters, force majeure, or to avoid emergencies, hikers are not allowed to alter the designated hiking route or enter unopened mountain trails or create their own paths. They should prepare the necessary equipment and a well-thought-out plan, pay attention to weather forecasts, and carry positioning devices and emergency communication equipment.
Specifically, if hikers intend to climb “special controlled mountain areas,” they must be led by a team leader. Depending on the difficulty of the hiking route, the team leader must arrange comprehensive hiking insurance for themselves and their team members, with the minimum insurance amount to be separately announced by the Nantou County Government. However, since the insurance amount, minimum number of insured individuals, and the delineation of general and special mountain areas are still under process, the ordinance will be implemented in phases. 1060222
(Central News Agency)