Indian customs officials and security forces have further tightened the Jogbani customs, restricting cargo movements to Nepal.

A source at the Biratnagar Customs Office said not even a single cargo truck entered Nepal on Friday. The source said the Jogbani customs office has restricted custom agents and transport entrepreneurs from entering its premises “until further notice”, citing orders from “higher authority”.

On Friday, Indian Border Security Force personnel even restricted general Nepali shoppers form brining household goods worth more than Rs500 from the bordering Indian town. Nepalis with goods worth more than Rs500 were asked to return their purchases to cross the border. Until Thursday, they had been allowed to bring in goods worth up to Rs2,000.

According to a customs agent, Jogbani customs chief Pranesh Gupta informed him that “higher authority” has ordered the customs office to halt cargo trucks movement to Nepal until further notice. The Indian customs officials have also been told to continue regular checks of the cargo trucks entering India from Nepal, the agent said.

Every consignment dispatched to India from Nepal is checked, but the Indian customs officials are reluctant to check and release the consignments headed to Nepal.

Krishna Bahadur Basnet, chief of the Biratnagar Customs Office, however, said the Indian side has not stopped consignment to Nepal. He said five cargo trucks loaded with cardamom and fabric, including others, were released on Friday.

Basnet said he was informed by his Indian counterparts that the southern neighbour has not restricted cargo trucks from entering Nepal, but agents were not supportive. More than 300 cargo trucks laden with imported industrial raw materials and over 100 trucks with goods exported to India have been stranded along different highways in India.

Even after completing necessary checks, Indian customs officials are not allowing nearly 100 trucks to enter Nepal.

Jitendra Parasar, president of Biratnagar Customs Agents, said the Indian customs has seized all the documents of the cargo trucks.

Jogbani wears  deserted look

JOGBANI (BIHAR): The bordering Indian market of Jogbani, majority of whose customers are Nepalis, has worn a deserted look ahead of the festive season due to prolonged strikes in Tarai. “The business has gone down by 80 percent,” said Om Prakash Singh, proprietor of Om Readymade Shop at Jogbani. “During this time of the year, the market should have been the busiest,” he said, adding the plunge in the number of Nepali shoppers has made it difficult for them to even pay rent and salaries to their staffers. The traders said besides apparels, business of cosmetic items and groceries has dropped by 90 percent and 80 percent, respectively. (PR)