SANKHUWASABHA: Neither the local administration nor the higher-ups have any knowledge over the location of the customs office of Kimathanka - the entry point between Nepal and China border -- nowadays. The existence of the otherwise very important office in the border has been confined in paper.

The government had decided to set up the customs office in order to manage the cross-border business transactions in 2036 BS.

According to the data of the District Treasury and Accounts Controller Office, the staffers of the "non-existing" office have, however, drawing Rs 1,128,000 as their remuneration annually. According to the records, three staffers have been serving in the office.

But, ironically, the local authorities are still in dark over the name of the Kimathanka customs staff and their whereabouts as well.

Kashinath Bhattarai, chief, DTACO, said, "We are allocating the amount for their salary but we do not know where is the customs office. He also added that the salary was given away to the staffers as per the directives of the Finance Ministry.

Local residents lament as they have been facing hardship due to the lack of such regulatory office in the border.

"Although the importance of the entry point is increasing gradually, people are facing difficulties due to the lack of customs office,'' said Lacha Bhote, principal of the local Himalaya Primary School. ''Its importance is further increasing as the business transaction between the northern VDCs of the district and the neighbouring Chinese market is ever increasing.''

The office was operational in a rented house of Hatiya VDC until the Maoists set fire to the office in 2002. Interestingly, the staffers did not show up to the district headquarters after the incident.

Among other goods, ghee, chicken, yak and herbal medicines are being exported to China from Nepal via the entry point. However, the government has been unable to properly collect the revenue due to the lack of the customs office.

As a local resident Tenchabi Bhote concludes, "The government is losing thousands of rupees revenue every day from here.''