Customs stir cripples work

DECEMBER 3: Employees of the Central Excise, Customs and Income Tax struck work today as part of a nationwide agitation of the Coordination...

DECEMBER 3: Employees of the Central Excise, Customs and Income Tax struck work today as part of a nationwide agitation of the Coordination Committee of Federations of Employees of Revenue Departments.

Group D employees including sepoys and sweepers in the Income Tax participated in strength, but Customs and Excise and clerical staff did not join the strike.

The striking officers are agitated at the Fifth Pay Commission8217;s recommendations, which they allege have created a disparity in the scales of employees of these three services as compared to other government employees in the same cadre. To take one example, the panel8217;s recommendation for the salary grade for Group B officers in the revenue department was Rs 6500-200-10500, while their counterparts in the same rank in other ministries will be drawing salaries from Rs 7500-250-12000 and Rs 8000-275-13500.

While Chief Commissioner of Customs, B K Bakshi, said all positions were manned by assistant commissioners from the IRS filling in for the striking officers, the unions claimed that not much work was transacted, particularly at revenue collection spots like the ports and Air Cargo Complex.

A visit to the Sahar Air Cargo Complex revealed that exports of non-perishables had come to a standstill by noon, the Examiners and Preventive Officers having struck work. Some activity at the perishable exports section was seen. The UB section and Import sections were totally deserted. On any average working day, about 150 superintendents and officers man various offices at the Air Cargo complex, and a total of 200 tonnes of cargo is exported from this complex alone.

At the Sahar airport, Assistant Commissioners manned the customs counters, and discharged tasks, which on a normal day are done by about 15 officers. These include duty collection, channeling, warehouse duties, and also Air Intelligence work, which operates simultaneously. However, since the strike was timed from 10 am to 6 pm, the load of several simultanous flights was avoided.

Said R C Sharma, Secretary General of the All India Federation of Central Excise Executive Officers, the seven commissionerates in Mumbai also transacted virtually no work with 2000 inspectors, 700 superintendents and 1500 other employees joining the strike. In all IT offices, including the headquarters Aykar Bhavan, very little work was transacted as Group D employees had also joined the strike.