OFFICE OF THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS
MUMBAI, ZONE – I, NEW CUSTOM HOUSE,
BALLARD ESTATE, MUMBAI – 400 001

MINUTES OF THE OPEN HOUSE MEETING OF THE CHIEF COMMISSIONERS OF CUSTOMS, MUMBAI ZONE-I, II & III HELD WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE TRADE AND INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS ON 14th March, 2006 AT 3.30 P.M. IN THE CONFERENCE HALL OF THE MUMBAI CUSTOM HOUSE.

1. The Open House Meeting for the month of March, 2005 was held under the Chairmanship of Shri K. M. Tiwari, Chief Commissioner of Customs, Mumbai Zone - I Shri P. C. Jha, Chief Commissioner of Customs. Mumbai Zone-II and Shri Sumit Dutt Majumder, Chief Commissioner of Customs, Zone – III on 14.03.2006, at 3.30 P.M. in the Conference Hall, New Custom House, Ballard Estate, Mumbai - 400 001.

2. The following representatives of the BCHAA, Trade and Industry attended the meeting:

(i) BCHAA (Bombay Custom House Agent's Association).
Shri R. Radha Krishnan
Shri Nimish Desai

(ii) MANSA (Mumbai and Nhava-Sheva Ship-Agents Association)
Shri C. S. Murty

(iii) IDMA
Shri Vasudev Kataria

(iv) SRTEPC
Shri A. Ravindra Kumar

(v) Indian Merchants Chamber
Shri K. M. Doshi

(vi) All India Importers & Exporters Association
Shri Mohan H. Nihalani

(vii) German Express Shipping Agency
Shri Marlon Patrao

(viii) Industrial Tubes Manufacturers P. Ltd.
Shri T. U. Shenava

(ix) C. I. I.
Shri C. M. Tungare

(x) JSW Steel Ltd.
Shri Suresh Darak

(xi) Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council (PHARMEXCIL)
Shri S. Srinivasan

(xii) Individual / Member of the Public
Shri Rajiv Gupta

3. At the outset, the Chief Commissioner of Customs, Zone – I, welcomed all the representatives of the Associations of the Trade, Industry and C.H.As., and the officers present in the meeting. The Chief Commissioner thanked the Members of the trade for extending their co-operation with the department and extended his greetings to them on the occasion of ‘Holi’. He also introduced Shri S. Dutt Majumder, Chief Commissioner of Customs, Zone – III to the members and the representatives of trade.

4. Thereafter, the Minutes of the last Meeting held on 13.01.2006, were taken up for consideration.

4.2 With regard to Point no. 4.2 of the previous minutes relating to "Transmission of Test Reports", the Chief Commissioner informed that Test Run of the software installed in the New Custom House, Mumbai has been successful and very soon the regular transmission of report from DYCC to the concerned offices will take place. It has been envisaged that in next stage Importers/Exporters/CHAs will be also intimated the test results through E-mail/SMS.

The Chief Commissioner of Customs, Zone – II, informed the members that TR Transmission through the system has already commenced in JCH since almost a month and asked the Members present in the house for their feedback about the same. The response from the members was that there had been a marked improvement in the time taken in Chemical Test analysis and its communication to the groups. The Chief Commissioner of Customs, Zone – I, then assured that the procedure adopted in Jawahar Custom House for Test reports shall be followed in Mumbai Customs House, too.

The Chief Commissioner of Customs, Zone – I, informed the house that the matters regarding improvement in the quality of equipments and increase in the staff strength of DYCC have been taken up with the Chairman, CBEC.

(Action : C.C. (Gen.)/C.C. (Imp.) N.C.H., Mumbai)

4.3 With regard to Point No. 6.1 of the previous meetng, viz. the point relating to “Right to Information Act”, the Chief Commisioner informed that E-mail IDs of CPIO and CAPIO of all the Zones have been created and uploaded on the website of the Mumbai Customs. One of the members of the house requested for the latest disposition list on the website.

It was assured by the Chief Commissioner that the list would be updated immediately. The representatives were informed to contact Mr. Sunil Jain, JC/EDI, regarding any problems concerned with Systems and the EDI. The Minutes of the last Meeting held on 13.01.2006 were thereafter adopted and treated as approved.

5. Thereafter, the Agenda Points as forwarded by ‘M/s. Amritlal Chemaux Pvt. Ltd. were taken up for discussion.

5.1 With regard to the point relating to ‘Delay in Hearing of Remanded Cases by Higher Authorities’, the Chief Commissioner informed the members, that the order of the Jt. Secretary/GOI in the instant Appeal no. 371/6/Dbk/2004/RA was not received in the office of the Commissioner of Customs (E.P.) and the copy of the said order was called from the Ministry. It was informed that the Personal Hearing has already been conducted on 14.02.2006 and adjudication order would be positively issued by the month end.

(Action : C.C. (E.P.)

6. Thereafter, the Agenda Points forwarded by MANSA were taken up for discussion.

6.1 With regard to the point relating to ‘Filing of IGM before arrival of the vessel’ the Chief Commissioner informed the members of MANSA, that the issue referred is an isolated case and in such cases instructions issued vide CUS Cir. No. 30/2004 dated 16.04.2004 should be strictly adhered to.

6.2 In regard to the point relating to ‘Furnishing scanning list of containers to the Vessel Operation Agents’ on line, the Chief Commissioner, Zone II, informed the house that CFS concerned are informed by E-mail about the scanning list generated, and the Container Scanning Division, has been implementing it since 27.08.2004.

6.3 With regard to the point relating to ‘Print of SMTP documents on E- mail’ the Chief Commissioner informed that the matter has been taken up with D.G.(Systems).

6.4 Regarding the point ‘Amendment in IGM’ sponsored by MANSA, the Chief Commissioner informed the house that the matter has been taken up with D.G., Systems.

7. It was informed to the House that individual members not representing a Trade organization / Association / Federation should submit an authorization letter from the Party on whose behalf the points are raised by them, so that their points / issues could also be taken up for consideration.

8. The Chief Commissioner, Zone – II, informed the house that Risk Management System has been introduced in JNCH and will be extended to all the Import Groups very soon.

9. Shri S. Dutt Majumder, Chief Commissioner of Customs, Zone – III, thanked the house for the welcome extended to him and requested the Members of the Trade to come forward to discuss any problems relating to Zone III, particularly the issues related with Courier Services.

10. The meeting thereafter ended with thanks to the Chair. The next Open House Meeting will be held on 12.04.06 at 15.30 hrs. The points sponsored for discussion for the next meeting should reach POSITIVELY by 05.04.2006 in the offices of the Chief Commissioner of Customs, Mumbai Zone I, II and III. Points received after the said date, will not be taken up for discussion only in the next Open House Meeting.

Yours faithfully,

Sd/-
(MANISH MOHAN)
Joint Commissioner of Customs
Chief Commissioner’s Office
Mumbai Zone- I

Copy to :
1. The Chief Commissioner of Customs, Mumbai Zone II and III.
2. All Commissioners of Customs, Mumbai Zone I, II and III.
3. The Addl./Joint Commissioners of Customs (E.D.I.), Mumbai Customs/Jawahar Custom House, Nhava Sheva/Air Cargo Complex, Mumbai – for immediate uploading of the Minutes on the website.

Copy for information and wide circulation to :
All Associations with a request to inform all their members to view the Minutes of the Meeting on the Website of Mumbai Customs at www.mumbaicustoms.gov.in