Customs sticks to demand for separate space at ICTT

KOCHI: The Customs authorities in Kochi on Wednesday made it clear that they would not be able to retain their officials at the Vallarpadam International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT) for long if their personnel were not provided demarcated space and facilities to perform customs inspections.
Addressing a press conference here, Vijay Kalsi, commissioner of customs, said the department of commerce had issued the office manual (OM) , laying down the guidelines on the administrative setup and process of clearing cargo in ports in Special Economic Zone (SEZ) like the Vallarpadam ICTT, way back on February 26, 2009 .
As per the guidelines, there should be a processing area and a non-processing area within the SEZ. All provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, rules and regulations issued thereunder will apply to the port as demarcated from the rest of the SEZ,'' the commissioner said quoting the OM . This meant that the customs would be able to perform their functions from the area demarcated as non-processing zone.
Right now there is no such demarcated area at Vallarpadam ICTT. Our personnel now posted there are practically working without proper space and facilities. We will not be able to retain our people there for long under such circumstances. We want a solution to this at the earliest,'' the commissioner told TOI.
He, however, strongly denied reports that he had set a deadline for resolution of the issue. We are a government agency, and can't issue any deadlines. We are trying to sort out this issue in discussions with the development commissioner of the SEZ, Cochin Port Trust and the DP World who are the operators of the Vallarpadam ICTT. But we thought of going to the press because no decision was forthcoming for the last six months after the commissioning of the ICTT,'' he clarified.
Meanwhile, in another statement the DP World authorities clarified that at no stage is the ICTT involved in handling or dealing with any cargo that has not been cleared by the customs for export. The ICTT, being a unit set up in the Vallarpadam SEZ, operates as per the procedure established under the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005 and is fully compliant with all applicable safety regulations, including the ISPS Code.
On the DRI seizure of red sandalwood at Vallarpadam, the ICCT is extending full support and cooperation to the directorate in the adjudication proceedings, the release clarified.