If the Taratal Customs is closed, only a small customs office will operate in Gulariya in Bardiya.
What you should know
The small customs office in Taratal, which was reopened a decade ago, is set to close. The main customs office, Rajapur, has stated that the small customs office, which used to collect around 20,000 rupees in revenue per month, will be closed.
The government is preparing to close all 133 small customs offices in the country, leaving only 18 of them. Pramod Kumar Mahato, information officer of the office, said that Taratal small customs office is on the list of those to be closed as per the department's directive. If Taratal customs office is closed in Bardiya, only Gulariya will operate small customs offices.
Before the armed conflict, there were nine small customs offices and one main customs office in Bardiya, but currently Gulariya, Taratal small customs offices and Rajapur main customs offices are in operation. In addition, the main customs office is in operation in Rajapur. The office is run by two assistants.
Before the armed conflict, Paderiya, Ganeshpur, Kalabanjar, Khairapur, Dhanaura, Kothiyaghat and Ishworiganj small customs offices were in operation. At that time, the offices were operating on their own land. Customs officials are unaware of how much and where the land owned by the closed small customs offices is. Even the landownership certificate of the land owned by the customs is not found in the office.
Employees say that with the closure of Taratal Customs, smuggling of goods from India by evading customs will increase in this area. Taratal Chhoti Customs Nasu is dependent on two office assistants despite the posts. Due to the lack of staff as per the posts, revenue collection has not been as per the target. Customs employees say that if this office, which has a concrete building, is closed, there is a risk of encroachment in the name of landless people. Employees claim that if the staff is deployed, about 5 million rupees will be collected annually.
There are 22 staff positions in the Customs Office Bardiya. Currently, there is 1 customs officer, but it is vacant after being transferred. Out of the 6 people in Nasu, 4 are accountants, 1 computer operator, 1 driver and 6 office assistants. In the last fiscal year, 21.414 million rupees were collected against the target of 23.82 million rupees. The Rajapur Customs Office has stated that it has collected 61.46 million rupees as of Kartik 27, out of a target of collecting 31.63 million rupees in revenue in the current fiscal year.
Caption-The Taratal Small Customs Office is dependent on office assistants.
Caption-The main customs office is located in Rajapur, the only border crossing in Bardiya.
Photo-Kamal Panthi/Kantipur
