Taplejung in eastern Nepal and Darchula in the west are the only two districts in Nepal that share borders with neighboring countries China and India. Taplejung, which borders Sikkim in India and Tibet in China, is also the third largest district in Nepal geographically, after Dolpa and Humla.

In terms of agricultural produce, it is also the district that produces the most cardamom in Nepal. From cereals like rice, corn, millet, barley, and wheat, to fruits like orange, lemon, kiwi, and juniper, and herbs like satuwa, jatamsi, chiraito, kutki, and bikhma, it is produced.

The district with a population of 120,000 has the opportunity to welcome up to three lakh tourists annually. The Pathibhara Area Development Committee has statistics that around three lakh pilgrims visit the famous pilgrimage site Pathibhara every year, both domestic and foreign. More than one thousand foreign tourists visit Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world, annually.

As natural gifts and potential exist, so too do the challenges and inconveniences. Cardamom, which generates an annual income of up to six billion rupees, has not yet been managed as a sustainable crop. The government has not made it a superzone to make it sustainable. Even though it shares a border with two countries, sustainable infrastructure development has not been done. Due to this, the border and neighboring countries have not been utilized. During disasters such as floods and landslides, the district is often blockaded.

Only 40 kilometers of blacktop roads

Taplejung, which was connected by a road network in 2046 BS, has only about 40 kilometers of blacktop roads. The border between Panchthar and Taplejung is 23 kilometers from Kabeli to the district headquarters, Phungling. Suketar Airport is 8 kilometers from the district headquarters. Apart from this, the roads within the district headquarters are blacktopped, while three kilometers of road are blacktopped in Aathrai Triveni Rural Municipality-5, outside the district headquarters, Phungling. All the rest are unpaved roads.

However, unpaved road tracks have been opened in all the wards of the district, which has 61 wards in one municipality and eight rural municipalities. Taplejung borders Sikkim of India and Panchthar of Nepal in the east, Sankhuwasabha in the west, neighboring China in the north, and Nepal's Tehrathum district in the south. The road connecting it to northern China, which is 95 kilometers from the district headquarters, is in name only. In the first year of the track opening in 2081 BS, Cheten Sherpa Lama, ward chairman of Olangchungola, Faktanglung Rural Municipality-7, says that for two months, except for tractors, motorcycles, and some small vehicles, no traffic could be operated.

Although the 91-kilometer border area with China and India is connected, one has to resort to the Chiwabhanjyang border crossing in Panchthar to connect with India. This border crossing is also not regular. Sankhuwasabha and Tehrathum districts are connected to Gufapokhari and Tehrathum districts are connected to Aathrai of Taplejung and Aathrai of Tehrathum with Triveni rural municipalities. But there are no wide roads for transportation and buses carrying many passengers. The Kaveli-Taplejung road section of the Mechi Highway is also not designed for dual carriageway. Small vehicles carrying up to 10 passengers are used. Which becomes expensive for passengers.

Cardamom grading jobs in Jhapa

The Ministry of Agriculture has statistics that cardamom is produced annually in 42 districts of Nepal. Taplejung produces the highest amount of cardamom among the 42 districts. According to Kashiram Dangi, head of the Taplejung Cardamom Zone office, there are statistics that the district produces up to 3,200 metric tons annually. 98 percent of the cardamom produced is exported to India, sometimes through Kakadbhitta and sometimes through Biratnagar customs. It is exported to India from Taplejung via Birtamod in Jhapa. There is a difference of four to six thousand rupees between the price of cardamom that farmers dry and collect in sacks and the price of cardamom with the tail cut off after drying.

While cardamom as soon as it is produced costs 92 thousand rupees per 40 kg, the price of the tail cut off cardamom is 96 to 98 thousand rupees. If the large grains are separated, the price is up to 100,05 thousand rupees. But the work of separating the large grains and grading and separating the tails is all done in Jhapa. This has lost jobs in Taplejung. Bhadrabir Regmi, president of the Cardamom Traders Association, claims that due to the fear of fire in Taplejung and the lack of warehouse space, they send it to Jhapa without grading. He said, ‘Yes, jobs have been lost a lot.’ But since we do not have a permanent warehouse, many job opportunities have been lost when we have to rush to Jhapa. For this, the government should manage the warehouse.' The businessman claims that if there is a warehouse, all three tasks of grading, cutting and packaging can be done and exported directly.

There is a tourist site, but no infrastructure

The Pathibhara Area Development Committee has statistics that up to three lakh religious tourists visit Pathibhara every year due to religious faith. But the 12-kilometer road from Suketar to Kaflepati has not been blacktopped for years. Not only is it blacktopped, but it also becomes muddy during normal rains, so only four-wheel vehicles are used. Due to this, travelers have been suffering. Prajin Hangwang, executive director of the Pathibhara Area Development Committee, says that the problem is that the government awards contracts but the contractors leave little by little. ‘This is not under our control, for the past 10 years, the government has been contracting for blacktop, contractors are not working, the government is urging but there is no work,’ said Hangwang, ‘We are also being vigilant, but the solution has not worked.’

Area Development Committee Chairman Rocky Thebe says that they are also just mute spectators as the offerings made by pilgrims in Pathibhara are not enough. On the other hand, the situation in Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world, is similar. According to the statistics of the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, more than a thousand foreign tourists have come here annually, except during the Corona infection. The cooks, guides, and porters they bring get jobs. But the walking path is also not good. Pembatasi, Ward Chairman of Phaktanglung Rural Municipality 6, says that tourists are forced to travel by hanging on ghirlings in Sekathum on the Tamor River. ‘Foreign tourists come and go, and then they post about the same risky hiking trails and infrastructure problems,’ said Dandu Sherpa, a tourism entrepreneur from Ghunsa. ‘They say next year the number of tourists will increase, but they keep decreasing.’

Communication and electricity problems

Phaktanglung Rural Municipality is at an altitude of 4,200 meters. It is also the highest settlement in the district. Residents here have to walk a day to reach Olangchungola to contact anyone by phone. ‘There is a mountain three hours away from here. Sometimes there is a phone call on that mountain too. But it is not reliable. If the weather is clear, it works, otherwise it does not work. When the phone call from here is cut off, you never know. You cannot exchange complete messages,’ said local Tenzing Walung, who is also an employee of the ward office. Residents of Olangchungola, Ghunsa, Phale, Gyabla, Tokpegola and other areas have not been able to use the internet. 4G does not work here. ‘We have heard a lot about bringing 4G, but it has not been connected yet,’ said Pembaphuti of Gola. The communication problem is also within the district headquarters. Sabin Baniya, the owner of Hotel Periz, one of the best hotels in the district, complains that his phone does not work properly.

The citizens of the district, which has nine local levels, have had to suffer from electricity. Except for the rural municipality center, electricity service has not reached. Even in the places where it has been reached, solar panels, Tuki lamps, and torch lights have had to be installed as an alternative. ‘Our first source is solar lights rather than alternatives,’ said Maden, a son of Hangdewa. ‘Even in the wards within the municipality connected to the headquarters, electricity only comes intermittently.’ He complains that despite repeatedly drawing attention to the electricity office, there is no solution. He complains that consumers have to face hardships due to the expansion of electricity without capacity. Rural residents are forced to face hardships when trees fall, tree branches hit wires, and poles fall. The electricity office has admitted that it has not been able to fully address the complaints despite separating different feeders from the Hiti substation.

In a district with large rivers like Tamor, Kaveli, Mewa, Maiwa, and Fawa, about 150 megawatts of electricity has been generated from the river flowing from Taplejung alone. Around 73 megawatts of electricity have been generated from the Tamor River and 70 megawatts from rivers such as Kaveli, Eva, and Fava. But if there is a problem in Amarpur in Panchthar, Taplejung goes dark. They have not been able to consume the electricity generated in their own district. According to the statistics of the Electricity Development Committee, up to 1,300 megawatts of electricity can be generated in Taplejung.

Fluctuations in the prices of herbs and agricultural produce

Cardamom farmers in the district that produces the most cardamom in the country have to face price fluctuations. The price, which reaches 2,500 rupees per kilogram in one year, drops to 500 rupees in another year. There is a similar problem with herbs like Chiraito, Kutki, and Bikhma. Farmers and traders who sometimes take their produce to the markets of China and sometimes India in the hope of getting a good price are disappointed. Chiraito businessman Govinda Baral says that if the price is better in China than in Olangchungola and the price in India, there is a compulsion to transport it to Kakadbhitta.

Govinda says that if the government helps in determining the price, farmers will not have to face frustration and mental stress. If the price cannot be determined, he demands that arrangements be made for warehousing. Such a proposal is for every farmer who produces agricultural produce. Lakpa Sherpa of Faktanglung 6 says that no one from the local, state or union has paid attention to this. Faktanglung Rural Municipality Chairman Rajan Limbu Mukti, however, says that it will be difficult for the local government to fulfill such demands. ‘It costs a lot, and geographically it will take time and be difficult to transport from one place to another, so the union government should pay attention to it,’ he said.

Emptying villages and settlements

Those who have only one ropani of land in the mountains do not have to buy only rice and vegetables and other items. They can produce their own vegetables. One cow produces enough milk and yogurt. Those living in the city and market areas can eat rice even if they raise only one cow. But the process of emptying villages and settlements has not stopped. In the district, which had a population of 126,000 in 2068 BS, the population decreased by 6,000 in the 1978 census a decade later and reached 120,000. Local people's representatives say that the number has increased even more after 1978. Mikwakhola Rural Municipality Chairman Bhakta Bahadur Karki says that many people have left the village because of the issue of facilities. 'I proposed to the migrants what facilities I am ready to provide,' Karki said. 'First, they say there is no education. Second, they say there is no health. Third, they say there is no community.' Even though the municipality is helping, it could not be handled.'

Karki says that even if education can be improved, it will be difficult for the local government to work alone on health and community issues. He claims that he has invested in rice farming, mustard farming, and corn farming to stop migration.

Although it is said that there are 120,000 people, the people's representative himself says that the population in the district is only around 70 to 80,000. The municipality's statistics show that a significant number of people migrate from here to Jhapa, Morang, and Sunsari in the Tarai. Thakur Prasad Poudel, who migrated from Phungling Municipality-8 to Charali in Jhapa on Magh 22, says that he had to migrate because his wife had health problems and had to go to Birtamod in Jhapa every two months for follow-up.

Suketar Airport as it is

Suketar Airport, which began construction in 2031 BS and has been in operation since 32 BS, is still a place to test the fate of passengers. When the weather changes and it becomes cloudy, planes do not land. Other planes, except for the Twin Otter operated by Nepal Airlines, are not able to operate. If the corporation's planes break down, air services are halted. Passengers coming here have to come to Bhadrapur or Biratnagar from Kathmandu and reserve a vehicle from there. Which takes a lot of money and time.

There is currently a 950-meter runway. Technicians say that if an additional 300 meters can be extended here, larger-capacity planes can operate. Since it will be convenient for passengers going to Kanchenjunga and Pathibhara, it is not possible for planes not to operate. But because the government has not invested, the airport is only in name, says Bikash Gautam, president of the Taplejung Chamber of Commerce and Industry. यसका लागि सबै तहका सरकारसँग हारगुहार गरे पनि ठोस प्रगति नभएको उनको गुनासो छ ।

जहाज बस्ने विमानस्थलमा हेलिकप्टर धेरै बस्ने गरेको छ । चैत–वैशाख र असोज–कार्तिकको महिनामा कञ्चनजङ्घा जाने पर्यटक र उनका सामान हेलिकप्टरले यहाँ ओसार्ने गरेको छ । त्यहाँबाट बेसक्याम्प पुर्‍याइन्छ । यो पर्यटकका लागि महँगो पर्ने पर्यटन व्यवसायी छवाङ डण्डु बताउँछन् । ठूलो जहाज चलिदिए यात्रु र सामान दुवै आउने भएकाले यात्रुको सङ्ख्या धेरै बढ्ने उनको दाबी छ ।

अलपत्र संरचना

तमोर करिडोर अन्तर्गत ताप्लेजुङको आठराई त्रिवेणी गाउँपालिका र पाँचथरको हिलिहाङ गाउँपालिका जोड्ने तमोर नदीमाथि बन्ने लिम्बूनी पुलको ठेक्का लागेको पाँच वर्ष बित्यो । दुई वर्षमा सक्नुपर्ने पुलको बल्ल एउटा पिलर गाडिएको छ । गाउँपालिका अध्यक्ष दीपेन्द्र पोमुले निर्माण व्यवसायीलाई पटक-पटक लिखित आग्रह गरे । त्यो आग्रहले नभएपछि फोनमार्फत मौखिक आग्रह पनि गरे र त्यसलाई सार्वजनिक गरे । तर पनि यो पुल कहिले बन्छ पत्तो छैन । निर्माण व्यवसायी सरकारले भुक्तानी नदिएका कारण पुललाई गति दिन नसकेको बताउँदै पन्छिने गरेको दीपेन्द्र बताउँछन् ।

जिल्लाको निर्वाचन क्षेत्र क र ख जोड्ने बहानन्दे–दोभान सडकखण्डको अवस्था पनि यस्तै छ । नौ किलोमिटर सडक वर्षौँदेखि माग गर्दा पनि कालोपत्रे हुन सकेको छैन । बहानन्देदेखि पालुङवाचोकसम्मको ३ किलोमिटर बल्ल अन्तिम चरणमा पुगेको छ । ओलाङचुङगोला जोड्ने सिसेवा खोलाको पुल, तमोर नदीको रानी पुल कहिले बनिने टुङ्गो नहुँदा दुर्गमका नागरिक समस्यामा छन् ।