REGION
Snakes and ladders
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| All Illustrations by Bilash Rai |
For the first time since 1992, the yearly seasonal barter trade between Indian and Tibet, through the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand, will not take place this year. Though trade at this point usually begins in June, Beijing initially postponed it this year due to the Olympics. Even after the Olympics, however, Chinese authorities have been turning back businessmen attempting to cross the border, allegedly for security reasons. This despite the fact that the Indian authorities had issued passes for 60 traders, as per past practice. The Indian traders, angry with their government for not ensuring access to Tibet, are now demanding that New Delhi revoke its ban on the import of goods such as raw silk and livestock from across the border, which are in great demand in thelocal market.