Consumers have complained that the prices of daily necessities have increased in Bhairahawa and surrounding areas following the tightening of customs checkpoints.
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After the tightening of the Bhairahawa customs checkpoint, the number of Nepali consumers in the Indian market has started to decrease . The number of Nepali consumers who reach the Sunauli market in India, which is connected to the Bhairahawa checkpoint, has started to decrease .
The Sunauli market, which is always bustling with Nepali consumers who reach it from the border areas of Nepal and even from distant districts for shopping, has been deserted for a few days .
Harihar Poudel, head of the Bhairahawa Customs Office, said that the tightening of the customs checkpoint has been continued to discourage the practice of buying large quantities of goods for household purposes and bringing them without paying customs duties . ‘Smuggling through the customs checkpoint several times a day has decreased,’ he said, ‘It has also started to have a positive effect on controlling revenue leakage .’
There is no problem in bringing goods purchased in normal quantities from the border Indian market . Customs officials and security personnel deployed at the border checkpoints have been tightening restrictions only on goods brought in for commercial purposes in the name of household expenses.
An employee of Hari Om General Stores in Sunauli said that the number of Nepali consumers has decreased by more than 75 percent compared to before. Domestic businessmen are very excited, saying that the tightening at the border checkpoints has created an environment that will encourage legitimate business in the country. However, Indian businessmen are very dissatisfied.
Prachin Thayb, central president of the Customs Agents Federation of Nepal, said that the tightening at the border will discourage illegal business, which will benefit both Nepal and India. He said that the tightening at the borders across Nepal has led to an increase in the turnover of retail items at customs and the customs warehouses are filling up.
‘Instead, there are restrictions at the main checkpoints, but smugglers are taking advantage of the open borders on the right and left.’ There needs to be strictness there too,’ said Thaab.
He said that since the businessmen in Nepal themselves are the ones who are encouraging smuggling by purchasing goods without customs duty and without bills of lading from the border Indian market, a search campaign is also needed against them.
Local consumers have complained that after the tightening of customs checkpoints, most grocery and retail shops in Bhairahawa and surrounding areas have started increasing the prices of daily necessities excessively.
Siddhartha Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Netra Prasad Acharya said that the tightening of border checkpoints has started having a positive impact on domestic businesses. ‘If any businessmen increase prices without reason, the market should be monitored regularly and action should be taken.’ Acharya said, ‘We are also ready to cooperate with the government.’ ‘The general public should not face problems at the border checkpoints.’ Business transactions cannot be conducted without customs clearance.'
Due to the restrictions imposed on the border checkpoint at the Fareni market, which has been open to Nepali consumers for two days a week on the Meudihawa area of Siddharthanagar Municipality, a very small number of Nepali consumers have reached the border.
Armed Police Force 27 Gulma Rupandehi Chief Superintendent of Armed Police Nawaraj Bohara said that the restrictions imposed on the border have been continued and there have been no obstacles or disputes in the checks. 'In some cases, practical aspects have been considered,' Bohara said, 'Locals go to Fareni market for shopping only after dusk. The number of people who go to shop from far away is not as high as before.'
