By Our Correspondent, Humla, July 25: The stakeholders have urged the government to reopen the Nepal-China border point in Hilsa, Humla district.

The urging has been made because trade and tourism connected with the neighbouring country have been adversely affected in the wake of the closure, causing many people to lose their livelihoods.

Bijay Lama, a tourism entrepreneur, demanded the government reopen the Hilsa checkpoint because its closure for two years now has dried up their earnings.

Namgyal Tamang, district president of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the government should take immediate steps to reopen the long-closed border crossing and that the district which heavily relies on China had been adversely affected beyond measure.

Humla residents have not been able to make a living. Before the closure, people used to do business in Taklakot of China, tourists used to go through Humla to visit Kailash Mansarovar, a holy place for Hindus and Buddhists, and unemployed youth used to go to Taklakot seeking employment opportunities.

Tamang added that the government should take the concrete initiative to resume the smooth operation of the border at the earliest. Chief District Officer of the district Ganesh Acharya said that the border should also be opened to maintain the friendship between the two neighbouring countries.

There has been no border talks between the local administrations of the two countries for the last two years. With the closure of the checkpoint, 2,000 unemployed youths from Humla have lost the opportunity to go and work in Taklakot. Even the customs and immigration offices in Hilsa have remained closed