MECHUKA (Arunachal Pradesh): This is a town of 13,000 people and just seven policemen on the border with Tibet. It's a heavily-militarised garrison, which boasts of India’s latest advanced landing ground (ALG) at an altitude of 6,200 feet. As you might expect, they people are fiercely patriotic.
But unlike in other parts of India, it's not a town that's too keen on a boycott of Chinese goods. For the biggest poroblem for the people of Mechuka is the monthly trip to the grocer. For they have to travel eight hours to get their essentials from Aalo, the HQ of West Siang district. Given a choice, they would cross the border to buy their supplies in Tibet rather than trudge to their district headquarters.
As the crow flies, Mechuka is 29 km from the Tibetan border and 50 km by road from the Lola Pass. In contrast, Aalo is 186 km away. There's just one road to Aalo and it is as good as nonexistent. Ironically, it was built only a decade ago. Travelling to Aalo is not only taxing, it also entails transport expenditure of Rs 1000 per person.
So it's no wonder that the people of Mechuka, more than 30 per cent of whom are Buddhists and have historic ties with Tibet, would rather shop closer home than go to Aalo.
In Mechuka itself, not too many local people can afford to buy the few goods available in the town market. Traders mark up the prices steeply to factor in the cost of transport.
K L Mosing, Mechuka's panchayat member and the secretary of the Mechuka Bazaar Committee, says, “Before 1947, we had easy access to Tibet. Our people used to go there to buy and sell goods. Their people also used to come here for trade. Those days, the nearest Tibetan town, Gaja, was four-five days’ walk for our parents and elders. When India attained Independence, it brought an end to border trade here,” he says.
The need for closer ties is not only trade related but cultural too. People of several tribes such as the Menpa, Monpa, Khampa, Yuba and Kempa have relations across the border.
Kesang Goiba, president of the village chieftains’ committee, has been lobbying for resumption of border trade and feels that India would benefit from it. "There is tremendous demand in Tibet for our liquor, sugar, bidis,” he says.
In the days before Tibet's annexation by China, there used to be a thriving barter trade here, predominantly Indian sugar for Tibetan rock salt. To this day, Tibetans are often caught for straying across the border in search of Yarje Gomu, a prized insect that is believed to have medicinal properties. Soup made from it is drunk for strength and youth.
“Resumption of border trade would not only help us to buy goods at cheaper rates, it would also give us an opportunity to meet our relatives,” said Koje Maling, a local BJP leader.
As per the 2011 census, Mechuka has a population of 13,310 of which some 5,000 are Buddhists. The rest are people belonging to the indigenous Donyi Polo faith and Christians. The Mechuka sub-division has just one primary health centre, one higher secondary school, four upper primary schools, four private schools (teaching up to class VIII) and no college. The nearest college is at Aalo.