Customs ports appointed – What happens in Vizag?

By Vijay Kumar

Nagpur, Maharashtra; Vadinar, Gujarat appointed as Customs ports/airports. Port after port is being notified but nothing happens about Vizag which we had pointed out was not a port for import, but still imports take place there illegally. Even the Board’s detailed essay on Right To Information Act mentions about Unscrupulous parties do attempt to evade the duties leviable and bypass various prohibitions/restrictions in relation to imports by attempting to bring the goods into the country from places other than the notified ports/airports/Land Custom Stations. DDT’s report that Vizag is not a port authorised for import had indeed evoked some angry responses, but no attempt seems to be made to correct the lapse.

Notification No. 92 and 93/2005-Cus. (N.T.)

“Our audit system is pathetic. Our corporate governance is poor; "The Big 4 (Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte and KPMG) may dominate India, but in due course, Indians will dominate the Big 4." – Finance Minister addressing a meeting in Chennai recently