During the resumed hearing of a PIL highlighting the 'illegal' destruction of stock of explosives lying at Dry Port in Ludhiana,the importers have requested for the non-imposition of heavy penalty as slapped on them by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. On the last date of hearing on March 24,Talkeshwar Singh,Commissioner of Customs,Amritsar,had filed an affidavit stating therein that the Army has informed the District Magistrate (MA Branch) in Ludhiana and the Custom authorities that the approximate cost of destroying the stock of explosives lying at Dry Port would be Rs.1.35 crore. The affidavit further revealed that the Army will have to use "explosives and accessories" worth Rs 1.17 crore for destroying the stock of explosives. The high court had given two weeks time to all the nine importers to submit response to the affidavit filed by the Customer Commissioner,and to show cause as to why they should not be directed to pay the above said amounts towards expenses for destruction of the explosives. On the other hand,the Custom authorities had also been directed to complete the process of issuing orders imposing custom duty,fine and penalty on all these importers During the resumed hearing today,some of the importers of scrap pleaded for lenient view. Some of the importers said that penalty has already imposed on them and the war material (which was mostly the used war material,and not live one) had been confiscated by the authorities. They also pleaded that there is no further provision for making them pay expenses for removal of war material to some other place. Alternately,they pleaded that expenses,if any,may be recovered from the Overseas Suppliers,who had issued pre-inspection certificates from inspection and certifying agencies that material did not contain any material. Still further,they have pleaded that the expenses proposed to be charged from them are excessive. The HC today gave last opportunity to the remaining importers to file their reply to the proposal to burden them with expenses for shifting of stocks of explosives.
