Preventive measures to be taken to contains the spread of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Customs - PUBLIC NOTICE.20 /2020

OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS G. S. T. BHAWAN, 41/A, SASSOON ROAD, PUNE-411001, F.NO. VIII/Cus/Tech/TN/48-123/19-20 Dated: 20-03-2020 PUBLIC NOTICE.20 /2020 Subject: Preventive measures to be taken to contains the spread of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)- regarding Attention of all importers, Customs House Agents (CHA) and the Members of the Trade as well as all Stakeholders is drawn to Office Memorandum issued by Dy. Secretary to the Government of India Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions( DOPT) vide F.No.11013/9/2014-Estt.A. lll dated 17.03.2020 and Office Memorandum F.No. 11013/9/2014-Estt.(A-lll) dated 19.03.2020, issued by the Additional Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of personnel, Public Grievance and Pensions (DoPT), New Delhi on the subject matter. 2. In order to contain the spread of Novel Coronavirus (COVID 19) some precautionary measures are required to be taken by the all staff and officers of Pune Customs as well as importers, Customs House Agents (CHA) and the Members of the Trade . In this regards, it has been decided to issue the following advisory for the well-being of all in public interest. - (i) Install thermal scanners at the entry of Government building as feasible. Mandatory placing of hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol at the entry of office building. Those found having flu-like symptoms may be advised to take proper treatment/quarantine etc. (ii) Discourage, to the maximum extent, entry of visitors in the office complex. Routine issue of visitors/temporary passes should be suspended with immediate effect. Only those visitors whom have proper permission of the officer who they went to meet, should be allowed after being properly screened. (iii) Meetings, as far as feasible, should be done through video conferencing. To minimize of reschedule meetings involving large number of people unless necessary. (iv) Avoid non-essential official travel. (v) Undertake essential correspondence on official email and avoid sending files and documents to offices, to the extent possible. (vi) Facilitate delivery and receipt of dak at the entry point itself of the office building, as far as practicable. (vii) Ensure proper cleaning and frequent sanitization of the work place, particularly of the frequent touched surfaces. (viii) Ensure regular supply of hand sanitizers, soap and running water in the washrooms. (ix) All may be advised to take care of their own health and look out for respiratory symptoms/fever, if feeling unwell, should leave the workplace immediately. They should observe home-quarantine as per the guidelines issued by MOH FW, Government of India available at the following URL: mohfw.gov.in/DraftGuidelinesforhomequarantine.pdf. (x) _Advised all who are at high risk i.e. older employees, pregnant women's and employees who are underlying medical conditions, to take extra precautions. (xi) All the Offices of Customs Commissionerate, Pune will run by the 50% Staff and Officers till . 4 th April,2020 . However, this instruction shall not apply to the officers engaged in essential/ emergency services as identified in THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES MAINTENANCE ACT 1968, i.e. Any service connected with the loading, unloading, movement or storage of goods in any port. Any service connected with the clearance of goods or passengers through the Customs or with the prevention of smuggling. Hence, Custodian, Importer/Exporter, CHA and Trade are requested to provide continued support and facilitation for uninterrupted discharge of essential services by Customs Officials. 3. Considering the rapid epidemic spread of COVID 19, Custodians and Stakeholders are requested to strictly adhere to instructions mentioned in (i),(ii), (vii) and (viii) of para 2 above without any compromise and any unprecedented emergency may please be attended. 4. The contents of this Public Notice may be brought to the knowledge of the member constituents of he trade. The public notice may be downloaded from the website www.punecustoms.nic.in. (Vaishali Patange) Joint Commissioner