Himalayan Times (1954)

May 30, 1954 $iiuBl«e«n ilimt.

GROWING DECLINE IN INDO-TIBET
TRADE VIA KALIMPONG

(By Our Staff Reporter)
Kalimpor.g, May 28

Indo-Tibet Trade in
Kalimpong which had
shown considerable im-
provement, during the
first quarter of the
current year has
now considerably declined.
The Tenth Mile Bazar
here, which hus always
been the centre of Indo-
Tibet Trade activities is
presenting agloomy appea-
rance, shops keepers and
stockists sitting idle all
the time in the lookout
of casual Tibetan Traders
who might bring themsome
business.

Generally (he volume
of Indo-Tibet trade dimi-
nishes during lains in
Kalimpong and low tide
in trade at this time would
not have been felt bo
acutely had it not been
attributed to causes far
from the usual rains.

Several causes the
general traders feel hero,
contiibuted to give rise
to the situation. The first
and foremost of these is
the fact that the Chinese
authorities in Tibet have
.stopped issuing money
drafts to Tibetan traders
who of lato used to bring
theso drafts from Tibet,

cash them here, and
make purchases of mer-
chandise from Kalimpong.
So inspUe of the traders
desir to make purchases,
they cannot do so for
want of funds which is,
they say. not available to
them as China's balance in
India, obtained out of the
last rice denl. has dimi-
nished to the point of neg-
ligibility

Tl,p second reason,
closely allied to the first,
as gathered from Tibetan
Traders is that Chinese
authorities in Tibnt have
now begun encouraging
traders to take money
draft on Banks in China
where they can now eo
by the new overland 'O'litfl
via Chhamdo. Lhasa to
Chamdo and there to
Sz°chuan province in China
is about five weeks jour-
ney—part of it motorahle
now while Lhasa to Ka-
limpong takes about three
weeks the' entire' journey
to be covered either on
foot or on horse back or
on mules.

Whatever Drafts the
Chinesoare issuing on their
Bank in India, are being

Three

MR. KOTWAL RESIGNS
' • FROM CONGRESS

Kalimpong, May. 20
Kalimpong Sub-Divi-
sional Congress Committee
has accepted yesterday
the resignation of its
Secretary, Sri G. P. Kot-
wal who has tendered his
resignation on grounds of
his having very little time
to attend to his' secreta-
rial work, said Mr, "V. S. ■
Kumai, President, Kalim-
pong Sub-Divisional Cong-
ress Committee. Earlier
Mr. Kotwal and also Mr.
Dasarathi Roy, Vice-Pre-
sident of the Kalimpong
Congress Committee were
aaked by the Committee
to Bhow cause why decip-
Hnary action should not
be taken' against . them
for their addressing a
certain letter to the Chief
Minister, , West . Bengal
without the knowledge of,
either the President - or #
the Committee. While Sri
Kotwal has since resigned,
Sri Roy's explanation is
•awaited by the local Con-
gress Committee. _

given to Big traders, iii
preference to petty traders,
and whilo the latter
would have purchased
things at Kalimpong,.. the
Big traders now prefer
trading direct with Cal-
cutta or Bombay or in
some cases with 13ig tra->
ders at Kalimpong. The
petty traders are • being
put to hard lot . at both-
ends.

*