By S K Sarda*

The world was focused on the re-opening of the Nathu la pass - the pass for trade between India & China- the two powerful Asian Giants. The two powerful giants are coming together. The cold war is now history and we are in war of trade. Here no more artillery power shall win. It is the competitiveness, quality and devotion of the trade and industry and commerce that will bring success and then only we can win.

And  finally that historic day arrived- 6th July 2006.  The world rejoiced that now peace shall prevail and  Asia will lead the torch of peace the world over. The world will thank the great heroes who had worked hard for that golden day .
 

Trade, Spirituality & Tourism

Now Nathu la has been opened for border trade it will finally culminate in the International trade.  Five years down the line, ships at Kolkata and Chittagong Ports will take load of goods arrived from mainland China through the Tibetean  plateau, Nathula and then
thru the Gangetic Delta for onward shipment in the Indian Ocean.

The rail link from  Gomud to Lhasa  is now being extended to Chumbi Valley which will  make the traveling time from mainland China to Nathula to a week..The spiritual Hindu & Buddhist devotees of the Indian sub continent will get a chance to have a glimpse of Lake Mansarovar and Mt Kailas, once the route opens for Tourism in 2011. Lacs of  devotees will travel thru Sikkim to get Moksha at the abode of Shiva at Mansarovar. The present tourist flow of 3 lacs per year to Sikkim will treble  by 2011 leading to a new set of economic activity and enterprises benefiting the local populace of Sikkim.

Tibet provides a beauty of its own. A cold desert on a plateau with scanty rains and an average height of 10,000 feet and rocky mountains and massive water bodies provides freshness to tourists visiting this place.

Respect The Mountain State

The trade thru Nathu la pass has started , though in a small scale, but with the passage of time this will get transformed into a massive operation. The infrastructure development plan for the next 4 years will bring an excellent two lane strong road between Siliguri and Nathu La to match the finishing touches being given by the Chinese on their side by providing rail and road link upto Chumbi.

The entrepreneurs who remain active thru this difficult period of trial and error will ultimately reap the rich benefits. The route to success in this trade is thru hardwork, competitiveness and quality and it cannot be otherwise. The youth of Sikkim who
constitute more than 50% of the population need to understand this and make their lifestyle accordingly  and thereby win the battle of trade and tourism. Let us respect the value of Labour and the economy of this  Mountain State will shine for generations to come.

The present handicaps for a sustainable border trade will be solved out in due course. The availability of dollars from the banks for trade will have to be lifted from $ 500 per trader to the requirements of the trade. The IEC code should be available to
Sikkimese traders without asking for PAN. The Extension counter of Central Food laboratory is required to be set up at Sherathang and so an office of CITES.

Lets Talk Modern Trade 

The list of items which were listed for border trade in 1992 for Shipkila and Gunzi land
customs stations in UP and Himchal have been copied for the 2006 border trade for Nathula land custom station. Import of Horses, Goats, Sheeps from Tibet is
now part of history and so the other items in the import list except silk, borax and wool. This list needs to be revised, expanded and modernized to suit the need of the time to make trade through Nathu La vibrant and viable. 

Items which come to the subcontinent from sea ports should be allowed to be
imported through this land  route also. If imports thru sea port cannot damage our economy, what more damage can land route do.

The  plying of mini buses and mini trucks between Gangtok and Rinchingang four days a week for four months in a year can at best be organized by the State only.The earlier they start plying, the better because then even the smallest entrepreneur can participate in the border trade. And these small entrepreneurs will become the big traders of the future.

Sikkim, The Richest Land ?

It is a great news that Sherathang will host a 100 bed hotel and an l32 KVA power line will be extended to Nathu La from Lower Lagyap.. As times passes, the tradeline will be extended upto Yatung on the Chinese side and Rangpo on the Indian Side. An underground tunnel from Chumbi Valley to Singtam can also be dreamt of which will make it  an all weather  route. The modern technology can handle it..

The skill development year will go a long way in making every Sikkimese youth equipped with the skill of trade & enterprise. The visit of the Dutch and Holland Consortiums and the infrastructure development proposals of the Singapore team will make Sikkim the
richest land in India.

And finally leaders like Dr Pawan Chamling, the visionary par excellence needs all praise. Let more visionary be born in this land of Kanchenjunga to lead us to the golden era.

* S K Sarda is President of Sikkim Chamber Of  Commerce