Rs100 tax rule aimed at curbing small-scale smuggling hits daily shoppers at Nepal-India border

Strict checks on goods valued above Rs100 at Nepal-India crossings draw anger and complaints in border districts.

For residents of the country’s southern plains, crossing the ‘Dashgaja’—the no-man’s land separating Nepal and India—is part of daily life shaped by geography, culture and necessity. From essentials such as salt, cooking oil and medicine to higher-value goods, border communities have long relied on Indian markets for supplies, healthcare and livelihoods.