Surat: Industrial units working in chemicals, dyes, intermediates and pharmaceuticals have expressed concerns about the public notice issued by the Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN) in Sept. These issues were discussed at a recent meeting of the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI).
The notice added 81 types of non-scheduled chemicals to the International Special Surveillance List. Businesses involved in the use, import or export of these chemicals are now required to submit monthly reports on the CBN website.
At the meeting, industry representatives voiced strong objections to the notice. They highlighted that many of these chemicals have everyday applications, often in minute quantities. Some chemicals can also have minor losses during transfer to the tune of 5kg to 7kg. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) may lack the resources, infrastructure or understanding to compile and upload such detailed reports, making the notice highly impractical, according to the SGCCI.
The business community also pointed out that these transactions are already reported in GST returns and uploaded on the department of chemicals’ website, making this additional compliance point redundant. They expressed concerns that the new requirements would place an undue burden on industrial units, contradicting the govt’s emphasis on promoting “Ease of Doing Business”. Units in Surat and South Gujarat contribute 33% of India’s chemical production.
SGCCI president Vijay Mevawala said, “SGCCI has appealed to finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to revoke the CBN’s notice. SGCCI has also sought intervention from the minister of commerce and industry, Piyush Goyal, to resolve the matter.”