A Trip to Zokhawthar
- Part 1 -

Prof E. Bijoykumar Singh *

A view of Zokhawthar, Mizoram :: Pix - ner_lux @Flickr

It was September 2010 but the memory is as fresh as ever. Whenever we think about visits to Moreh, I cannot help contrasting the experience. Then I was coordinating a study of Indo Myanmar border trade for RIS, sponsored by NEC.

Amongst the trade points between Mizoram and Myanmar such as Hnahlan, Vaphai, Champhai, Thingsai, Vawmbuk, Lungpuk, Sangau and Tuipang, Champhai- Rih sector has been identified as the most crucial point for border trade. As Champhai is about 28 km from the border, Zokhawthar, a sparsely populated village in Champhai district on the border, has been developed as an LCS.

The officials posted at Zokhawthar LCS will be provided with residential accommodation in Melbuk, another border trade township about 8 km from Zokhawthar. The LCS at Zokhawthar has been constructed over 18.40 bighas.

It was a short flight from Imphal airport to Lengpui airport in Mizoram. From the airport we took a taxi for Kulikon, a landmark in Aizawl, the capital of Mizoram. Our host Dr E. Nixon Singh, a faculty member of Management department, Mizoram University was monitoring our trip to Kulikon.

We spent the next day trying to acclimatise ourselves in the new environment. As we had informed the Director of Trade & Commerce, Mizoram Govt. of our presence in Aizawl in connection with the NEC project they welcomed us at their office and were properly briefed about the development of the LCS at Zokhawthar.

We, along with our guide Joseph, an MBA student, bought three tickets for Zokhawthar. The vehicles plying on the Indo-Myanmar route issue proper tickets with proper seat numbers whether it is for Aizawl to Zokhawthar or from Zokhawthar to Champhai. The Tata Sumo left its stand in Barabazar at around 7 am. As one travels along the Seling- Zokhawthar national highway the inconveniences of the physical topography is brushed aside by the peace and tranquillity of the route.

During my 9 hour drive from Aizawl to Zokhawthar never was I stopped by any security personnel. The stop at Seling was for lunch. As we visited the LCS during the rainy season, the narrow roads were muddy enough to stop any small vehicle. Apart from the outward peace, the camaraderie among the fellow travellers was fantastic.

Every journey started with a group prayer. Every driver extended all possible help to any driver in difficulty. It reminded me of Oja Thoibi's essay on a trip to Premnagar in 1975. It was a heart warming sight to see Tata Sumo and bus drivers going towards and away from Champhai stopping their vehicles and trying to get another vehicle which was involved in an accident going .

Zokhawthar is a sparsely populated village. The village provides a wonderful view of Rih in Myanmar across the Tiao River. The sight and sound of the meandering Tiao river which serves as the international boundary is so nerve soothing that every tourist would like to revisit this place again and again. The tourist lodge at Zokhawthar where we stayed was very well maintained by well trained persons. It had power and water throughout the day.

One can have a beautiful view of Rih across the iron bridge and listen to the meandering sound of the Tiao throughout the day. Our visit to the LCS was very productive because of the two customs officials Pious Troi was our former student and the other was from Churachandpur. Both competed to help us.

Everyone had to pay Rs 10 per head to the Myanmarese immigration officer at the gate. There were not many shops on the Myanmarese side and most of the few shops were well stocked with wine and liquor. Mizoram is a dry state. Rih Dil is a beautiful lake which, as per Mizo legend, is visited by the soul after death.

Perhaps, it used to be the Baitarani of Mizos before their conversion into Christianity. The Myanmarese authority had constructed a number of tourist huts along the lake where tourists could relax till 3pm. . You can hire a vehicle to Rih for Rs 500 and you have to pay Rs 100 to the Myanmarese immigration officers for taking an Indian vehicle.

From the Myanmarese side one can hire the service of motor cyclists for Rs 200 to pillion ride to Rih Dil and be back. I never thought that our Marutis were capable of negotiating such tortuous roads as the road to Rih Dil was. It was slushy and sometimes very steep. It was costly in Rih Dil. A can of Tiger brand beer costs Rs 70. There was no proper shop on the Indian side. The only place where you could have something to eat was the canteen in the LCS building.

What we found along the border was rampant illegal trade. Large polythene wrapped packets were transported inside or outside India by headload/ non mechanised vehicle. Crossing of the border bridge on Tiao River was not crowded. I saw only modified jeeps coming to Rih with goods. However we were told that very few of the goods belonged to the permitted list of forty items. These packets covered with polythene were loaded in trucks waiting near the LCS in India and wee to be taken to Champhai.

Champhai had many shops selling goods from Myanmar. It looked like our Paona International market. What struck us was the absence of non Mizo traders and loaders in Zokhawthar and Champhai. Marwaris and Punjabi shopkeepers were not seen at all.

The goods were loaded on the trucks and the documentation part seemed to be very casual. There was virtually no record of the goods transported into India. Only a small segment of the import must have been recorded. Regarding official trade we were told that in the last two years traders on the Mizoram side had managed to export only Rs 50,000 worth of Soya baris. Every import had to be matched with equivalent export within 6 months.

There was a common refrain that the list of permissible items did not match the desired list. Indo Myanmar border trade used to be handled by the syndicate based in Champhai. Now of course as official trade had failed to take off, unofficial trade had been flourishing. Most of the members of the Syndicate had quit.

At the LCS, SBI had been operating a satellite branch since Jan. 2010 which opened three days a week. The banking staffs used to come from Champhai on a rotatory basis. The banking activity was not extensive. The branch had 75 savings accounts. There was no demand for demand drafts.

The internet connectivity was poor therefore the branch manager in charge had improvised to pay without confirming the account on trust. He was confident that one could move around, that too in the border, with crores of rupees without any hassles.

To be continued..