The Tatopani border crossing, which was partially opened for a day on Wednesday and then closed again, remains closed until now.
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The forest fire that broke out in the border forest areas of Nyalam and Khasa regions of China since last Sunday night was finally brought under control on Saturday.
But the Tatopani border crossing has not been fully operational as some parts of the fire that has spread to Nepal are still burning. The Tatopani border crossing, which was partially opened for a day on Wednesday and then closed again, has remained closed till now. Nearly 400 containers destined for China have been stranded due to the closure of the border crossing. This has added to the concerns of businessmen and importers.
According to Sindhupalchowk Chief District Officer Ram Krishna Adhikari, the Chinese administration had informed that the border crossing could not be operated due to the fire in Nyalam, central Khasa and Chobin areas.
Police Inspector Jagat Bahadur Rai of the Area Police Office Kodari said that although the fire in the Nyalam-Khasa area has been brought under control, the border crossing has not been reopened yet. "On Wednesday, the border crossing was opened for one day to bring vehicles stranded on the road to Old Khasa Bazaar to Nepal," he said. "On that day, about 150 local drivers were allowed to enter China."
According to the Chinese administration, only a small amount of fire remains in the upper lake area of Liping, Bhotekoshi Rural Municipality-2. Police Inspector Rai said that the Chinese side has informed that efforts are being made to drop water from helicopters to extinguish the remaining fire.
Locals around the fire-affected area have been temporarily relocated. It is said that the system of the customs office on the Chinese side could not be operational due to the fire, which has affected movement. It is said that the issue of when regular movement at the border will be opened will be decided only after the Chinese customs system is fully operational.
Meanwhile, locals have said that there is a risk of the fire spreading to the upper hill area of Liping and around Kharan Pokhari. It is said that the forest in Shirbeg of Bagam, about 10 hours' walk from Miteri Bridge, is still burning. Even the cattle herders are worried, fearing that the pastures will be destroyed if the fire spreads in the border forest area. The impact of the fire has also affected communication services across the border.
Sindhupalchowk Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Buddha Raj Basnet said that the border was closed after the fire and that the containers carrying goods worth crores of rupees that were supposed to enter Barkha were stopped. 'About 400 containers are stranded on the roads in the border area, including Khasa and Nyalam in China.' Although the fire has been brought under control at a place called Pan Singh, 4 kilometers above Khasa, the border is still closed. It is not known how long this closure will last,' Basnet said.
Bahrabise-Tatopani (26 kilometers) is dusty in summer and muddy in monsoon, making it a trap for containers coming and going. The flood across Miteri Bridge destroyed the quarantine, parking lot, road connecting Khasa and a tunnel, and a smart city was being built in Khasa. Meanwhile, businessmen were confused when China started releasing only 7 to 12 containers daily.
