Traders rue transport system at Indo-Nepal border

MANAS R BANNERJEE SILIGURI, SNS, 20 JUNE 2020: Though experts in international relations have been discussing the present development in Nepal, where the parliament has approved a new map and borderline with India, soon after the death of 20 India soldiers in a face-off with Chinese troops at Galwan Valley in Ladakh, common people, including traders of both India and Nepal, have expressed unhappiness at the way transportation is being handled on the borders.

People on both sides of the border here are unhappy at the present system of entry and exit of vehicles via the Panitanki-Kakarvitta Indo-Nepal border near Siliguri owing to the coronavirus fear.

Authorities have been allowing entry of goods-laden lorries to Nepal via the Panitanki and Kakarvitta, but have debarred empty vehides from returning to India on the same route. Asked to comment, Shri kumar Bandyopadhaya, the Inspector General of the Sashashtra Seema Bal (SSB) that guards the India-Nepal border said: "Owing of the fear of coronavirus, there is a clear-cut instruction that vehicles will go to Nepal via Panitanki, but they will return via Jogbani in Bihar." "The situation is normal in the routes. The flow of people coming to India is less. People are even going to Nepal via Pashupati near Mink in Darjeeling. Another route to Nepal via Galgalia will be opened shortly," Mr Bandyopadhaya said.

A senior official associated with the Customs Department today said trade in essential commodities between the neighbouring countries began after 20 April, following orders from the central government.

However, the Secretary of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, North Bengal, (FOCIN), Biswajit Das, today came down heavily on the present system of transportation for trade between India and Nepal.

"A goods-laden lorry will go to Nepal via Panitanki, but it will have to return via Jogbani in Bihar. This system is being followed as there is no sanitization system for empty vehicles at Panitanki.

The state should have made proper arrangements for such sanitization. Lorry owners are suffering huge losses when they have to return all the way via Bihar," Mr Das said, addi ng, "State authorities will allow any goods-laden vehicle from Nepal via Panitanki if they are heading for other states. But such vehicles would be prevented from entering Bengal." Apparently upset, Mr Das also pointed out that trade between India and Bangladesh began via the Changrabandha in CoochBehar on 10 June. "However, just after two hours, the district administration ordered suspension of the border trade as there was no proper sanitization system there. 'the state should make arrangement is for it," Mr Das said. On the other hand, several people from Bengal are still working in different areas in Nepal, officials have said. According to the officials. Rich Indian people, who number on thousands, do not want to return home in West Bengal.

Asked to comment, Minister in-charge for North Bengal Development department, Rabindranath Ghosh, said: "Around 2000 migrant workers have returned to Cooch Behar. Nearly 12,000 workers are still in Nepal. We will bring them back if they wish to return home. At present, they are working there safely."

"Thousands of workers had to leave Cooch Behar, having failed to live peacefully, ever since the BJP unleashed its terror tactics after the Lok Sabha elections," Mr Ghosh alleged.