Customs strike off

AHMEDABAD, Oct 8: The four-day old customs officers' strike was called off after a marathon meeting between union leaders and the authori...

AHMEDABAD, Oct 8: The four-day old customs officers8217; strike was called off after a marathon meeting between union leaders and the authorities in Vadodara on Thursday.

State unit of the Customs and Central Excise Executive Officers Association president V P Ranadive told Express Newsline that Chief Commissioner D K Acharya, who heads all the commissionerates in the State, had assured the association that Rajkot assistant commisisoner preventive Avinash Chandra Sharma would be transferred to Ahmedabad latest by Friday. 8220;While the inquiry into the alleged misbehaviour meted to a subordinate is on, a decision to transfer Sharma outside the State would be taken later8221;, Ranadive said.

Meanwhile, official sources in the Vadodara commissionerate said it was for the fourth time that Sharma was being shifted in some two years. Hailing from Mumbai, he was first transferred to Chandigarh and then Valsad prior to Rajkot. The sources alleged it was not for the first time he was facing such charges and action from the authorities. Sharma was not available for comments despite repeated efforts. The strike had badly hit exporters and importers as the ports and airport cargo units had joined the stir. Sharad Modi, president of Exim Club Baroda, said the club was affected. 8220;Our import export activities were affected substantially despite alternative measures by the commissionerate to save the situation8221;, he said.

The joint action committee formed by the striking group B C and D staff of the Customs and Excise Department had demanded Sharma8217;s immediate suspension and a probe against him. The JAC had also alleged that the commissionerate had accepted the hed: Customs strike called off demand for a probe but refused to suspend Sharma, which was 8220;a discrimination against non-IRS staff of the department8221;.

In Surat, Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Rajendra Chokha-wala said there was no impact of the agitation as exports and imports did not face any hiccups. A top Customs officer said though all inspectors and superintendents had struck work, the authorities were managing the show.