Employees belonging to the B, C and D grades joined the all-India strike for a pay parity and to protest against the fifth Pay Commission's discriminatory recommendations. The striking employees include inspectors, superintendents, preventive officers, appraisers, examiners and ITOs.

The strike will cover all international airports, docks at Mumbai, Kochi, Chennai, Kandla, Calcutta, and all anti-smuggling operations in border areas.

In customs, though assistant commissioners were drafted from other units to fill in at the airport and docks, the quality of assessment of declarations would be definitely affected as examiners and appraisers have joined the strike in full strength.

The appraisal hall at Customs House wore a deserted look on Tuesday. Sources said virtually no work was done at the SaharAir Cargo Complex as also the unaccompanied baggage section. Chief commissioner of customs, GS Tampi, however, said clearances were normal.

About 25 assistant commissioners were deputed at Sahar airport where the three-day strike is likely to show its impact when several flights come in simultaneously. Preventive officers who man the X-ray scanning machines at the airport also joined the strike.

At Aaykar Bhavan, the income tax headquarters, even the watch and ward staff joined the strike. Union sources claimed that the already clogged permanent account number (PAN) allotment work was going to suffer considerably.

The strike call was given by the Coordinating Committee of Revenue Federations, which has been undertaking various agitations since last year. In fact, an expert committee appointed by the finance minister had also opined that the demands were justified. The recommendations are now stuck with the expenditure department.

The main grouse of the staff is the Pay Commission's recommendations ofputting inspectors (excise, customs) and ITOs on a lower scale than other cadres in central services which were earlier on a par with them. From a scale of Rs 1,640-2,900, these cadres were given Rs 6,500-10,500 whereas excise/customs inspectors have been given Rs 5,500-9,000. This puts them at par with cadres who were earlier on a lower scale (1,400-2,600, now given 5,500-9,000).