Instruction No. 29/2021-Customs
F.No. 401/98/2021-Cus-III
Government of India
Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue
Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs
North Block, New Delhi
Dated the December 23rd, 2021
To,
All Principal Chief Commissioners/Chief Commissioners of Customs/Customs (Preventive),
All Principal Chief Commissioners/ Chief Commissioners of Customs & Central Tax,
All Principal Commissioners/ Commissioners of Customs/ Customs (Preventive),
All Principal Commissioners/ Commissioners of Customs & Central Tax
Subject: – Details of infrastructure available for testing of samples related to hazardous goods by Revenue Laboratories-reg.
Madam/Sir,
Reference is invited to Instruction No. 17/2020-Customs dated 10.08.2020 wherein CBIC had started a Special Drive on 11.08.2020 to dispose off unclaimed/uncleared/seized/confiscated cargo with a special focus on expeditious disposal of goods that are of hazardous or explosive in nature to prevent any damage to life and property that may arise. Vide letter No. 450/179/2017-Cus.IV dated 07.10.2021, the field formations have also been addressed to undertake a targeted exercise with respect to disposal of pending hazardous cargo in 90 days.
2. It is stated that CBIC is strictly monitoring the import and handling of hazardous goods which are subject to the provisions of Hazardous and other Wastes (Management & Transboundary Movement) Rules (HOWM), 2016.
3. Identification of hazardous goods is key to effective monitoring. Towards this objective, the Annexure-I & Annexure-II enclosed with this instruction provide details of infrastructure available in various CRCL laboratories for testing of samples as per Schedule-III (List of Hazardous Wastes) and Schedule II (List of waste constituents with their limits) of Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and trans-boundary Movement) Rules, 2016.
4. Further, to optimize the utilization of such infrastructure, the relevant Custom House Laboratories are mapped with different Ports, as per Annexure A and B attached with Circular 46/2020-Cus (AS) dated 15.10.2020. The DG Systems has also enabled a `CRCL module’, in ICES with the objective of automating paperwork related to sampling, forwarding of test memos to CRCL and other Revenue Laboratories, and electronic receipt of test reports, by the Customs Officers (Instruction No. 14/2021-Customs dated 21.06.2021, refers in this regard)
5. In view of the above, it is requested that the officers under your jurisdiction may be suitably sensitized with respect to the above facilities, as an aid in the proper monitoring of import of hazardous goods.
6. Difficulty, if any, may be brought to the notice of the Board.
7. Hindi version follows.
Encl: As above
Yours faithfully,
(Manish Kumar Choudhary)
Under Secretary to the Government of India
