Traders want ban on Chinese imports lifted

As India resumes business ties with China through Nathu La Pass from July 6, trade from another Himalayan point has been badly affected in the wake of the Centre's move to ban trade of some items including Chinese raw silk.

With trade from Lipu-Lekh Pass (16,500 feet) from Pithoragarh district of Uttaranchal beginning from June 1, the demand for revoking the ban on the import of Chinese raw silk and livestock from the communist country is growing.

The traders in Pithoragarh looked sombre as they are not coming forward for trade passes which are necessary to visit Tibet for the purpose of trade.

The mood of the traders could be gauged from the fact that only seven trade passes have been issued this season. "Only seven trade passes have been issued so far," said an Indian trade official.

On the first day of the barter trade early last month, there was not a single trader who came to collect the permit for visiting Taklakot, a Chinese mart in Tibet where the annual barter trade takes place.

"Tribal Bhotia traders are showing reluctance to participate in the barter trade due to ban on import of live stocks and silk from the communist country," said the official.

The demand for the Chinese silk and live stocks has been growing in India but the government thinks that the import of these things would affect local trade in the country. Import of live stocks has been banned as no quarantine facility is available on the Indian side.

The Indo-China border trade, which was resumed in 1992 after a gap of 30 years, has been gradually declining since the past two years.

The volume of trade, which was recorded more than Rs 14 crore in the year 2004 fell considerably to mere Rs 1.5 crore last year.

The Bhotia traders said they would resume trade only if their demands for a quarantine facility at Gunji area near the border and permission to import Chinese silk are accepted.

Meanwhile, traders in Chamoli district are now clamouring for reopening of Niti-Mana Pass to restore age-old business ties between India and Tibet that got disrupted due to the 1962 Indo-China war.

In a joint memorandum to the central government, traders have urged the centre to take steps to reopen Niti-Mana Pass.

"We want the government to resume trade from Niti-Mana Pass,"said a local member of parliament, Badrinath area, Anusuiya Prasad Maikhuri.