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Kathmandu Wednesday October 10, 2001 Ashwin 24, 2058.
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Imports from Tibet surge
By Rishi Ram Poudel
KHASA, (Tibet), Oct 9 - The import from the Chinese Autonomous Region of
Tibet to Nepal has gone up drastically over the past one month, due mainly to the
approaching Dashain, the greatest Hindu festival.
Although Tatopani Customs Office has been collecting revenue of over Rs 10
million a day lately, surging imports has created problems to importers while getting
customs clearance as containers carrying goods have to wait for at least two days.
The number of containers carrying goods to Nepal through the Tatopani Customs
is rising as it is the shortest route to import Chinese goods to Nepal. Another reason
behind the growing import currently is due to landslide in the Kodari Highway, that
connects Nepal with Khasa, during the rainy season.
About 100 trucks/containers carry goods through this route daily but they do
not meet the demand of traders nowadays. On one hand, lack of sufficient number of
containers has compelled importers to pay more fare, while on the other limited officials
in the customs office and parking space has created problems.
About 20 to 30 containers enter Nepal through this customs office every day
while over 70 loaded trucks remain in a queue near the customs point anticipating to enter
Nepal, said businessmen. Yet Chinese goods are not entering Nepal as expected especially
during this time, they added.
In keeping with the problem, the customs office allow a certain number of
motors to enter Khasa, Tibet yet about one and a half kilometers of the route has been
used as parking lot for Nepal-bound containers.
A local trader says the problem of parking space and customs clearance has
been created as retailers and wholesalers both have thronged the border town in Tibet to
purchase goods at this time.
Durga Bahadur Shrestha, President of Nepal Trans-Himalayan Trade Association
says, the number of containers carrying goods to Nepal through the route is increasing
because of Dashain festival and landslide that halted the imports earlier.
"The major reason behind the surge in import through the route is being
it the shortest road", he said. Most of the Chinese goods seen in the streets and
shops are imported through the Tatopani Customs point, he added.
According to Nirmal Hari Adhikari, Customs Officer at the Tatopani Customs
Office, motorcycles, micro buses, electric goods, ready-made garments, toys, velvet,
decorative, fruits and vegetables are the chief items imported from Khasa to Nepal through
this customs point.
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