New Delhi:
The government has extended the last date of border trading with China via Lipulekh pass to October 31. Situated in Dharchula sub-division of Pithoragarh district, trading via the Lipulekh pass commences on June 1. Earlier the last date for the trading was September 10.
Tribal traders willing to take part in the trade have started taking trade passes from trade office at Dharchula.
"We have received a letter from commerce ministry of Government of India extending last date of trade period from September 10 to October 31," Raj Kumar Pandey, SDM of Dharchula and assigned trade officer said.
Traders have come in big numbers to take passes from the office which are being issued from today. "According to the rule, after the trader gets trade pass, he can move towards Lipulekh pass to cross over to Tibetan territory of China but in practice most of the traders cross over to Tibet in July, due to time required to collect the material at Gunji mart of the trade in India," said the trade officer.
According to trade office sources, over 264 trade passes are available with the trade office at Dharchula.
The traders' organisation said they are happy by the decision of extending trade period. It will help them sell more goods as the Tibetan villagers throng to the mart after July in big numbers.
"We have started collecting material from other markets of the?country at Dharchula and after collecting it at Dharchula, the goods will be taken to Gunji mart for storing there, from Gunji the traders will take it to Tibet according to the demands," Jiwan Singh Raunkali, president of Bharat Tibet Vyapar Samiti at Dharchula said.
