Nathu La trade completes one month

Gangtok, June 1: The Nathu La border trade between Sikkim and Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) completed one month today with no import by Sikkimese traders.

The Sikkimese traders have managed to sell goods as per the list of items worth around Rs three lakh, in the Nathu La border trade which commenced from May 1 for this year. However, there has been no import from the TAR.

''We exported items worth Rs three lakh but did not manage to import any item,'' said Chimmey Rinzing Bhutia, a prominent trader and president of Indo-China Traders Association of Sikkim (ICTAS).

The reason for the zero import was that the Indian traders could not find anything worth importing from the present 15 permissible import items. According to the agreement between India and China, items like yak tail, wool and sheep skin were imported from TAR.

''However, there is no market for these items in India,'' said Mr Bhutia.

Items exported were mainly rice and other edible items that had a ready market on the other side of the border.

ICTAS was set up last year by the local traders who are actively involved in border trade.

Mr Bhutia retierated the ICTAS demand for expansion of trade for better transactions. If more items were included in the trade list, the trade volume will definatey soar, he said.

Yesterday was the last trading day for the week. Trading will resume from Monday.

A three-member Chinese delegation is expected to arrive at Sikkim on June 3 to take stock of the trade.

They will come to India again via Nathu La border to interact with the local traders, besides meeting the state Chief Minister.

Following complaints by local traders of traffic problems in the Nathu La border trade, the Indian Army said that there should be roads exclusively for traders from Sherathang corridor to the border, Major General KVS Lalhotra, GOC, told UNI