Traders seek early resumption of Indo-Tibet border trade from Lipu Lekh pass

Traders seek early resumption of Indo-Tibet border trade from Lipu Lekh pass

B.D. Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, Aug 23

With India and China agreeing to resume border trade from three Himalayan passes of Lipu Lekh of Uttarakhand, Shipki La of Himachal Pradesh and Nathu La of Sikkim following talks between two countries, Indian border traders of Vyans and Darma valleys of Pithoragarh district have welcomed the decision.

The traders who used to go every year from Lipulekh Pass to Tibet, however, demanded that the trade should be resumed at the earliest as their goods stored in Purang mart of Taklakot in Chinese territory of Tibet since 2019, are getting destroyed as no one is there to take care of the abandoned goods. The Indian traders used to dump their unsold goods in the godowns of Taklakot mart before returning home at the onset of winters when the trade used to halt every year. The trade from Lipu Lekh pass was suspended since 2019.

“The goods worth Rs 1.25 crore belonging to 44 Indian traders are dumped in stores of Purang mart, that included jaggery, coffee, sugar, candi and other perishable goods, we want to take care of that stock first,” said Jiwan Singh Rongkali, (78) chairperson of Bharat Cheen Vyapar Santha, the organisation of Indian border traders involved in trade since 1992, when it was resumed.

“We want the border trade from Lipulekh be resumed from September 1, this year and to run till October 31,for, we could take care of our goods dumped since 2019 and take new goods there for trade,” said Rongkali.

The trade used to run formerly till November 14, but due to increased snowfall on Lipu pass region it was reduced to October 31, later.”The traders should be given time to visit Taklakot this year, to take stock of their dumped goods from 2019,” said Rongkali.

Asked about objection of Nepal in resuming Indo- China trade from Lipu Lekh pass, claiming the pass as its’ own territory, the veteran border traders said that he used to take part in Tibet trade from early childhood but in his memory Nepalese have never been using Lipu Lekh pass as their trade route to Tibet. “They have been using Tinkar pass to trade with China traditionally, if they are claiming Lipu Lekh, it is merely a political gimmick,” said Rongkali.