Meds, cloth parcels stock customs counter at post office

Gurvinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 20

After the opening of the customs clearance counter at the Head Post Office, the volume of people turning up to send parcels abroad has increased. Customs clearance officials at the post office said all kinds of parcels were sent by residents, but a large proportion of parcels sent abroad were those containing clothes and medicines.

Abhishek Verma, the customs official on duty today, said most of the items being sent abroad were clothes. A substantial proportion of the items included medicines as well, he said.

Many people send ayurvedic and homeopathic medicines. “My cousin had started ayurvedic treatment for his skin problem during his visit here earlier this year. Ayurvedic medicines are not easily available abroad. So, I sent medicines to Norway almost every month,” said Sunil, a city resident.

Bachittar Singh, another resident, said he sent homeopathic medicines to Australia. “Except Germany, in other countries, homeopathic medicines are not as readily available as in India. So, I send homeopathic medicines regularly to some of my relatives in Australia,” he said.

Medicines in a majority of developed as well as other countries were not easily available, unless they were prescribed by doctors, another resident sending medicines to Malaysia said: “Those on tourist visa have a hard time, if they are consulting doctors here. So, there is no choice but to send medicines abroad,” he said.

Deepinder Kaur, a resident of Kitchlu Nagar, said she sent medicines to her relatives in Kenya because the medicines were relatively more expensive and not readily available.

Another item that is being sent abroad is clothes. The main reason for sending clothes is the price difference and the lack of availability of Indian wear, another resident said. “There is a huge price difference when it comes to clothing. Clothes there are more expensive than in India. So, we send clothes to many of our relatives abroad,” said Vishal, a resident of BRS Nagar.