Jogbani disturbance: Govt faces Rs 450m revenue loss

BIRATNAGAR, APR 08 -

The halt in import/export activities through India’s Jogbani customs for the last two weeks has resulted in revenue loss of Rs 450 million.

Employees of the customs office have been staging protests against the arrest of four of their colleagues by India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on charge taking bribes while clearing goods.

Although the customs employees are clearing goods imported from countries other than India, they have completely halted the clearance of goods imported from India, according to Biratnagar Customs Office Chief Rajendra Dahal. “This has resulted in revenue loss of around Rs 450 million,” he said.

The newly appointed chief at Jogbani customs has imposed a new provision, which requires Nepali importers to furnish documents such as copies of PAN card, authorisation letters and Indian Currency code number to get their goods cleared, according to Dahal.

“There are no possibilities of getting customs clearance under such rigorous criteria,” he said. He said the Jogbani customs has not cleared any commercial goods besides petroleum products, green vegetables and goods imported from countries other than India.

A week ago, a CBI team deployed from Patna had arrested some Jogbani customs officials red-handed while taking bribe worth IRs 50,000 from a trader. Moreover, the CBI also started arresting customs agents for interrogation. It has been reported that a CBI team is still monitoring the customs point.

Imposing strict criteria, the new Jogbani customs chief has asked Nepali importers to clear the goods from other customs points, said Birendra Parashar, chairman of Biratnagar Customs Agent Association. He said the association has been staging a sit-in in front of the customs office demanding clearance of imported goods.

The halt in customs clearance at Jogbani has also created shortage of industrial raw materials in the Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor. Even exporters are not being able to export produced goods. As a result, most of the industries in the corridor have slashed production, according to Abinash Bohora, chairman of Morang Merchants’ Association.

Around 300 Nepal-bound trucks laden with industrial raw materials and other commercial goods, and some 100 India-bound trucks carrying Nepali exports have been stuck at Jogbani Customs.

Source: The Kathmandu Post