Preparations on for resumption of Indo-China border trade from Lipulekh pass
Preparations on for resumption of Indo-China border trade from Lipulekh pass
B.D.Kasniyal
Pithoragarh, May 23
Expecting resumption of Indo- China border trade from Lipulekh pass after 2020, from June 1, this year, the Pithoragarh administration as well as traders have started preparations for the same.
The Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Dharchula, as an adhoc trade officer, has been asked to invite applications from tribal traders for participation in the border trade with China from Lipulekh pass, according to Pithoragarh District Magistrate Ashish Bhatgai.
“In order to speed up preparations for the trade and to provide required facilities for traders, we have appointed Dharchula SDM, Ashish Joshi as trade officer till permanent arrangement is made and have written to Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, to provide required number of trade passes,” said the District Magistrate, Pithoragarh who chaired a meeting concerning preparation for the border trade today.
The border trade, that resumed from 1992 after the Sino0Indian war of 1962, was worth Rs 3.2 crore in 2019, that included an import of goods by Indian traders worth Rs 1.9 crore and export by them to Tibet,worth Rs 1.3 crore.
Mangal Singh Rongkali, chairperson of association of traders who are Involved in this trade since 1992, told this correspondent today that, the traders have already started storing their goods in godowns on way to Lipulekh pass.” Over 10 eminent traders have stored Rs.4 lakh worth sugar candy and other goods in godowns after Pithoragarh administration gave us signals of resumption of trade in last meeting with traders on March 22, 2026,” said Rongkali.
According to trader’s association leader, as the preparation for border trade used to begin generally from the month of May, the traders obviously started it this year as well.
“Our trade will not be beneficial as it was before 2019, as our goods worth crores are dumped in Tibet from last six years and must have been decayed but we will have to pay the rent for storage of past six years since the closure of trade following covid pandemic,” said Jeewan Singh Rongkaki.
“We have issued instructions to officers to establish a trade office at Gunji, a SBI branch to provide finance to trader’s, and to avail arrangements of communication, security, communication, transport , medical and other required arrangement before the expected date of trade resumption s comes close,” said Pithoragarh DM.
