However, since income tax officials intercepted a suspicious consignment at Mumbai Central on Monday, this low-profile community of couriers has closed ranks and retreated into a shell. "Business was shut for one day but is starting to resume slowly. Market sentiment is low. Will people feel comfortable entering your premises if an income tax raid is under way," asked a diamond merchant at Opera House. An air of indignation and hostility pervaded the Panchratna diamond hub market on Wednesday. The owner of a prominent angadia firm that has been in business for 35 years said, "The diamond trade would collapse in our absence. Ours is a trustworthy community that does not ever open the parcels we despatch. We insure the consignment and deliver diamonds worth hundreds of crores of rupees in a single day. When was the last time you heard that an angadia had bolted with his cargo?'' His son said, "Ours is a family-run business based on faith. We only recruit delivery boys within the extended family, outsiders cannot break into the trade. Entire villages in Gujarat are full of angadias. Should one of the boys go missing, you will know which house in Gujarat to trace him. We have many checks and balances and still compensate any loss that arises from damage or theft." Most angadia firms are located in Bhuleshwar and Opera House in South Mumbai, and Malad in the suburbs. In fact as traders began to shift base to Bharat Diamond Bourse in Bandra-Kurla Complex, the couriers were reluctant to move to the new locality. Realising they were indispensable, BDB quickly offered them space for free but were then forced to levy nominal rentals once some people objected.
Traders in Opera House as well as Bandra-Kurla are angry that the trade is being tarnished by making allegations of hawala and terror funding. "Why don't you utilise the services of an angadia to send a simple ornament from here to Gujarat and compare it with branded courier services? Angadias are the backbone of the diamond trade. They are a blessing. There may be a few bad eggs or hawala operators within the diamond industry; after all, even milk is adulterated with a little water. But holding the courier boy responsible is like grabbing the weakest neck," said one owner.
Many angadias provide door-to-door services; others have local godowns where recipients are requested to pick up deliveries. Jewellery may be the cargo that is making headlines these days, but cloth, readymade garments and spare parts are despatched as well. "This service is cheaper than a normal courier. Rates start at Rs 11-12 per kg, and diamond traders are charged Rs 300 for a packet whose worth is Rs 1 lakh. The corresponding risk is far greater," one courier boy said. For this reason, the diamond angadias travel in groups to the train station, use their own vans, and when the need arises, call for police escort. Not a soul in Opera House is surprised to hear that local police was escorting the large consignment of four trucks that was intercepted, to the train station. "Informal tie-ups with local police exist from Mumbai Central to Borivli. Officers are provided hafta or fixed weekly payment for two reasons. Firstly, they will not harass traders by checking their pockets and bags every single day, and moreover, they will also step in to protect them should local hoodlums try to extort money or harass them,'' said an industry expert. Even on an ordinary day, business leaves little room for niceties. Most angadias who answer the phone simply shout "Bolo!" and hang up abruptly if they find the caller does not bring business. Even for this hardened breed, allegations of terror are hard to stomach.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Diamond couriers indignant over hawala allegations
Dengan url
http://cegahkeropostulang.blogspot.com/2013/07/diamond-couriers-indignant-over-hawala.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Diamond couriers indignant over hawala allegations
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
Diamond couriers indignant over hawala allegations
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar