The Hindu Business Line : `Smuggling nexus in Customs must be curbed'

THE Commissioner of Customs (Port) in Kolkata, Mr Abhijit Bhattacharyya, has called for steps to curb the `unholy nexus' between a section of customs department officials, customs house agents and importers & exporters who were "ruthlessly exploiting the system and holding the country to ransom."

Speaking at the 49th annual general meeting of the Calcutta Customs House Agents Association (CCHAA) here Mr Bhattacharyya came down heavily on the "organised smuggling syndicate that was resorting to crime". He urged stakeholders in the import-export business not to take liberty with the law of the land and urged all concerned to co-operate with a view to ensuring the smooth functioning of import-export and customs activity.

In his address, Mr Subrata Basu, Chief Commissioner of Customs in Kolkata, stressed the importance of reducing the time taken to load and unload vessels at Kolkata Port. He urged customs house agents to put in place a system that would ensure reliable and timely delivery of services. Customs house agents must professionalise their services so that they can attract talent and function as logistics services providers.

Dr A.K. Chanda, Chairman of Kolkata Port Trust, said customs house agents needed to concentrate on providing efficient service, and at the right price. He asked them if there was a case of levying differential service charges for industry segments whose exports were at an infancy stage with a view to facilitating their growth. Here, he cited the examples of agriculture and floriculture, whose export performance could receive a major boost if facilitation charges payable by them to service providers were fixed at a concessional rate.

Earlier, the President of the Calcutta Customs House Agents Association, Mr Indra Kumar Ghosh, highlighted issues of concern to customs house agents, such as the need to improve infrastructure to cope with the increased volume of cargo, frequent link failure and dislocation of the EDI system, particularly in Petrapole and Haldia, and `unnecessary harassment' by the state sales tax department.

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