Need for better communication and coordination to avoid delay in assessment or examination and subsequent clearance of consignment from the docks - Customs - PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 62/2019

OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS (NS-I) APPRAISING MAIN (IMPORT), JAWAHAR LAL NEHRU CUSTOM HOUSE, NHAVA SHEVA RAIGAD, MAHARASHTRA-400707 F No S 22-Gen-04/2017-18 AM (I) Date: 03.07.2019 PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 62/2019 Subject: Need for better communication and coordination to avoid delay in assessment or examination and subsequent clearance of consignment from the docks-reg. Attention of the Importers, Exporters, General Trade and all other stakeholders is invited to the above mentioned subject. Grievances have been received from the trade regarding inordinate delay in examination and subsequent clearance of goods from the docks. These delays are attributable to lack of communication of a query or objection by the docks to the CB importer in a timely manner or due to raising of unwarranted queries. Apart from upsetting the planned schedule for the receipt of imported goods for further economic activity, such delays translate into costs for the importer and exporter by way of additional demurrage and rentals. Therefore, to resolve the issue Standing Order No. 12/2019 dated 27.06.2019 has been issued by JNCH. 2. First of all goods should be presented by the importer CB for examination at CFS during the working hours on the day of online registration of bill of entry itself There may be circumstances where the officer may require submission of any document/certificate etc for examination of goods or for giving out of charge which are not available in e-Sanchit. Further, it is mentioned that after implementation of 'Turant Customs' there is a scope of raising query through the EDI system in Docks. However, the same may delay the process of clearance as it will increase three more steps viz. query raising, its reply and then queuing up again in the OOC module. Therefore, it has been decided that the Docks officers shall raise query for documents etc. if any, on the docket pertaining to the concerned bill of ent1Y and hand it over to the authorized pass holder employee of the CHA/CB or authorised person of importer in case of self- clearance by the importer. In token of having handed over the query document, the concerned officer will obtain acknowledgement for the same from CI--IA/CB. The officer, raising the query on the docket will also obtain a photo copy of the said document and will preserve the same for the purpose of records. 3. It is necessary on part of the importer CB to submit the reply of the query within 24 hours. On submission of reply, the officer will take endorsement from CB/Importer with date and time. However, if the query raised on the docket remains unanswered beyond 24 hours, the concerned officer will raise the same in the system and will, accordingly, submit the report to DC AC Docks. Therefore, the trade should take utmost care to ensure that the queries raised in Docks on the docket are replied within 24 hours to ensure faster clearance of goods so that it does not give scope to raise the query through system beyond 24 hours as it unnecessarily increases the dwell time. 4. In case of any difficulty, the specific issue may be brought to the notice of Deputy Assistant Commissioner in charge of DC AC Appraising main (Import), NS-I (email address: [email protected] ) (Sunil Kumar Mall) Commissioner of Customs (NS-I)