Darjeeling,
June 2: If the Sikkim government has its way, tourists would be able
to visit China-controlled Tibet without a visa.
Waking up to the trade and tourism potential
waiting to be tapped once Nathu-la is reopened, the Pawan Chamling
government is mulling over introducing transit passes that will
allow visitors to visit the Roof of the World.
The state has already made provisions for traders to save them
the trouble of going through the formalities of procuring a visa
to enter China.
`All that an Indian businessman needs to do is obtain a trade pass
from the commerce and industries department of Sikkim,`said Mahendra
P. Lama, the chief economic adviser of Sikkim.
`Those having the pass can go to Lhasa, the capital of the Tibetan
Autonomous Region, for trading purposes. We are thinking of introducing
a transit pass for tourists once Nath-la is reopened,` he added.
Sikkim is expected to reap rich dividends from the tourism sector
if the Chinese government accepts the transit-pass proposal. Gangtok
is around 527 km from Lhasa and many tourists are expected to use
the route to visit the mystic land.
The hill state is also looking forward to attracting visitors who
use the Kathmandu-Lhasa route, a backbreaking 1,300-km journey. `We have not spoken to the Chinese authorities on the issue of
the transit pass because we will need to work out a complete agreement.
But dialogue is expected to begin soon,` Lama said.
The process can be initiated only when the Sikkim government gets
the nod from the external affairs ministry.
Hopeful that the suggestion will not be shot down, the Sikkim government
has begun giving serious thought to the impact the tourism boom will
have on the environment. `We are studying the effect large-scale tourism
will have on the state, which is well-known for its pristine environment.
We will come up with ways to ensure that the tourist traffic does
not take a toll on the greens,` Lama said.
Lama, who has been given a cabinet rank, will also lead a four-member
team, comprising C.B. Nagarathan, the convener of the National Security
Advisory Board, former foreign secretary Muchkund Dubey and S. Sen,
deputy-director general of the Confederation of Indian Industry,
on a reconnaissance tour of the proposed trade route within the
next three weeks. Lama has visited Lipu Lekh in Uttaranchal and Shipkila Pass in
Himachal Pradesh, which was opened for trade with China in 1992.
Sikkim is also working on ways to maximise the flow of revenue
to the hill population and is studying the items that the state
can trade with China.
`In the pre-1962 period, India used Nathu-la to export beef, pork
and incense sticks and import wool. The trade route, once reopened,
will also benefit countries like Bangladesh, which uses the maritime
trade route,`Lama said.
Courtesy
The Telegraph |
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