Nathu-la trade permit condition

TT, Gangtok, April 24: The administration has made it compulsory for those who seek licences for border trade at Nathu-la to submit certificates saying they are not employed with the state or central governments.

The East district collector said "unemployment declaration" was made mandatory as there were complaints in previous years that government employees had secured the licences for trade with the Tibetan Autonomous Region.

"From this year, merchants have to submit declarations saying they are unemployed . The applicants have to submit certificates from their respective panchayat representatives or municipality councillors vouching for their unemployment status," said the East district collector, Prabhakar Verma.

This year's trade is slated to begin on May 2 and will continue till November. The trade licences are valid for just one year and have to be renewed annually. The trade is conducted from Monday to Thursday every week.

Nathu-la is in the East district, whose collectorate issues the licences for the trade.

The other documents which are needed for the licence are voters' card, trade licence and Sikkim subject certificate. #According to sources, the government has received 100 applications for the trade permits so far. "The application and documents will be scrutinised properly and only then the permits will be issued," said the collector.