BJP member from Sikkim, Dorjee Tshering Lepcha, urged the government in Rajya Sabha Wednesday to announce a clear plan for reopening India-China trade through Nathu La pass closed since 2020, highlighting the “hardships” being faced by the border communities dependent on the trade.
Speaking during the Zero Hour, Lepcha said there was an “urgent need” to take steps to resume trade through Nathu La and protect the livelihoods of border area residents.
“The closure has severely affected the economic and livelihood conditions of traditional traders, transporters and porters, and local residents of border areas who have traditionally depended on cross-border commerce. The border trade through Nathu La is a vital economic lifeline for the people of Sikkim and an important confidence-building measure between the two nations,” he said.
He said reports in the public domain had indicated that India and China had had discussions and reached an in-principle understanding regarding resumption of trade routes, but the government was yet to clarify or announce a timeline.
“People living around Nathu La have been waiting for a clear direction from the government. This issue concerns the economic survival of border communities, national security interest and regional stability. Therefore, I request the government to urgently clarify the status and announce a concrete policy framework for reopening the trade route at the earliest,” he said.
Earlier during the Zero Hour, CPI(M) MP A A Rahim raised the ongoing crisis in IndiGo. Rahim said, “The sole culprit behind this huge crisis is the Union government. This is the direct outcome of the government’s neo-liberal economic policies, privatisation and deregulation of the Indian aviation sector.”
“In terms of safety, quality of service, and quality of aircraft, the situation is extremely poor. The government created a misconception that the public sector is useless, while private players are capable of miracles,” Rahim said. He said he tried booking a flight ticket Wednesday from Delhi to Trivandrum for Thursday and the ticket price was Rs 64,785, even after government had capped the fares last week.
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SP member Jaya Bachchan raised the need for dedicated emergency vehicle lanes on highways, claiming that 60% of ambulances arrive late. AAP MP Swati Maliwal raised the issue of illegal sand mining in Punjab, where her party is in power. She said sand mining was rampant along rivers, after which Punjab witnessed massive floods earlier this year. “This was not a natural calamity, it was a man-made disaster,” she said. Maliwal’s speech sparked protests by fellow AAP MPs N D Gupta and Sandeep Pathak, while BJP MPs appreciated it by thumping their desks at a few instances.
