Nathu-la trader number increased

RAJEEV RAVIDAS, TT, Aug 30, 2018, Gangtok: The Nathu-la border trader has resumed after remaining closed for a week following the East Sikkim administration's decision to increase the number of traders allowed to enter Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) every day from 40 to 100 as demanded by the Indo-China Border Traders Joint Committee.

However, the traders' demand for the increase in the number of vehicles allowed to enter TAR from the present 60 to 100 could not be met.

"We understand that the fleet of the vehicles cannot be increased because of the standard operating procedure in place. We are, however, happy that 100 traders will now be able to trade on the border, which is why we resumed trading from Monday," said Sonam Topgay, the president of the Indo-China Nathu-la Border Traders Welfare Association and senior member of the joint committee.

Kapil Meena, the district collector of East Sikkim, said the 60 drivers who would be allowed entry, however, would not be allowed to engage in trade.

"The practice was to issue the same red-coloured pass for both the traders and drivers. Now, the drivers will be issued a separate pass which will only allow them entry but not permission to engage in trade," he said.

Meena said the traders had also raised a number of other minor issues which will be looked into.

"The traders, for instance, wants to make use of the warehouse at Sherathang that has not been in use. We will take up the matter and other issues in the meeting of the Sherathang Development Authority (SDA) by the end of September," said the deputy collector, who is also the chairman of the SDA.

Other demands of the traders include proper maintenance of roads and toilets, timely removal of snow from the roads, removal of bottlenecks at the border check-post, construction of temporary shade near the border gate and provision for overnight stay at Rinchengang Trade Mark, among others.

About 500 traders and over 300 vehicles from Sikkim are engaged in the border trade which takes place every four trading days of the week.

The Nathu-la trade route is open from May to November every year.

The trade route through Nathu-la border, located at a height of 14,200 feet, was resumed in 2006, 44 years after it was closed following the Indo-China War in 1962. Last year, the trade was disrupted following the Doklam stand-off.