A general view of Tiptala border point, in Taplejung, on Sunday. Photo: RSS
PHUNGLING, AUGUST 27
The Tiptala transit at Olangchung Gola in Taplejung district has remained closed for the past four years. This has affected the local people in many ways ranging from halting the trade between the local people and neighbouring China and limiting their mobility.
The border crossing was closed to stop the spread of COVID-19 following the request of the Government of China shortly after Chinese workers returned home from road construction on the Nepal side, it has been said.
For this, the Riu administration in Nepal was requested to close the transit point citing the risk of the spread of the virus in China through the open border.
The residents of bordering Yanga, Thudam, Olangchung Gola and Topkegola are dependent on the Chinese market for their essentials as Phungling, the district headquarters of Taplejung, is not accessible due to flooding and landslides during the rainy season.
"Ninety per cent of the people of Olangchung Gola in Phaktanglung-7 and Yanga and Ghunsa depend on the Chinese market for their daily necessities," said a local resident Chheten Tanshi Sherpa. "Due to the closure of the transit for a long time, supply of food and other essentials from China have been halted. We are not being able to bring essential commodities, including salt," he said. "Following the closure of the crossing, the trade with China has come to a halt," said Chheten Walung, ward chair of Phaktanglung Rural Municipality-7.
At an altitude of 3,200 metres above the sea level, the main business of the community of the Olangchung Gola area is trade and animal husbandry, and at an elevation of 4,200 metres above the sea level, people from Yanga community are dependent on the Chinese market for their daily necessities.
"As a result of the closure of the crossing for a long time, they are transporting food items from Phungling," said Jiten Chemjong, assistant programme coordinator for the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Management Council.
"Since the past, Yanga community have been depending on the Chinese market. As the border was closed for a long time, they have started relying on the Nepali market," he said.
"The closure of the crossing has created economic crisis for the locals," he added.
According to Tenzing Walung, ward office assistant of Phaktanglung Municipality-7, yak, cattle, animals, dairy products and carpets produced in the Nepali villages are sold in various markets of China. "The border has been shut for the past four years.
Trade with China has been halted. Without the operation of business, income sources have drastically decreased," he said. "Since the livestock business and animal products failed to find market, traders are suffering financial crisis," he added.
"The people of Olangchung Gola had been earning a good income by selling carpets in the Chinese market. But their carpets have been piled up at home for the past four years," said a local resident Lama Bhujung Sherpa. "There are 50 carpets piled up in my house. Selling carpets in the Phungling bazaar fetches low price. So, I have kept them at home," he said.
A version of this article appears in the print on August 28, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
