Nepali entrepreneurs are forced to undergo lots of hassles in importing goods from China as the Chinese authorities have been reluctant to provide them passes for entering the Chinese side.
Apart from that, the unregulated activities of Chinese customs agents at Kerung, narrow roads, the difficult topography of Rasuwagadhi, high transport costs, and a passive local administration have greatly affected the imports.
Goods worth millions have been stranded on the Chinese side as the governments of both Nepal and China have failed to prioritize re-opening the Tatopani customs point. Although entrepreneurs from Tatopani reached Rasuwaghadhi, they have not been provided entrance passes to fetch their imports from Kerung.
Representatives of over 50 entrepreneurial firms from Tatopani have reached Rasuwaghadhi. According to them, almost 400 trucks loaded with winter shoes, slippers, and clothes among other items have reached Kerung.
“We have been prevented from entering Kerung from Rasuwagadhi for lack of entrance passes. We don't even know the whereabouts and the condition of our goods,” said importer Arjun Sapkota, who is also chairman of the Sindhupalchowk chapter of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI). “Neither side has taken initiatives to provide entrance passes to the entrepreneurs and the laborers they hire,” he added.
The quake-hit Rasuwagadhi-Kerung transit point was re-opened after the entry of 1.3 million liters of fuel provided by China as a grant entered Nepal.
Although the earthquake destroyed Rasuwagadhi customs office, a temporary customs has been set up in Timure at a distance of three kilometers.
Only 20 to 25 local truck drivers have entrance passes, which enable them to cross the border and bring the goods from China. Lack of enough drivers with passes has created a traffic jam of three kilometers to Rasuwagadhi.
“Although a Chinese transport company has requested the local administration on that side to allow Nepali entrepreneurs to come up to Kerung, the request went unheard,” said importer Buddha Raj Basnet. “This has made it very difficult for Nepali entrepreneurs to determine the present condition of the goods they ordered,” he added.
Meanwhile, the chief of Rasuwagadhi customs office said entrepreneurs are facing lots of hassles in importing goods because the customs office has only recently come into operation and it will take some time to sort out the problem.
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