Mr D. P. Singh, Commissioner, Customs, said the matter became clear when the Chennai-based NGO Karunalaya responded and decided to fill in papers in its name. He said earlier, Ms Nicolen De Croon was filing papers in her name, which was not legible.

He said now the Indian NGO has been working to deposit all requisite documents and agreed to import the material in its name. He said the Dutch NGO would have to submit a written undertaking that the material would be offered free of cost to the victims of tsunami.

He also informed that the NGO would have to submit a certificate issued by the District Magistrate that the material had been distributed free of cost within six months to the department.

A Holland-based NGO, Motherhood, had brought the aid material after travelling 10,000 km- long exhaustive journey. They reached here on February 4, but could not proceed further as the Customs Department had no procedure to allow them without paying duty.

Ms Nicolen De Kroon, who heads the 14-member Dutch team, said she and all members of her group were satisfied at the new directives and hoped that they would resume their nearly 3,000 km journey soon.

She said five members of her NGO were in Islamabad to arrange travel documents. She said that they were assured by the officials of the Indian Embassy that they would get the same by the evening of February 9.

She said the officials of the Indian Embassy in the Hague had told the NGO that they would get the visa at the Wagah border. However, much to their surprise, they did not get visas here so they had to travel to Islamabad for arranging the documents.

Ms Nicolien De Kroon, founder and Director of the NGO, said they had brought the humanitarian aid, especially for women and children, including tooth brushes, pastes, soaps, creams, clothes for children and women, medicines, tents, equipment for purification of water, and dry milk etc.

She said nearly 20,000 children were involved in collecting these items. Some of the children had donated their pocket money and even their toys.

The Dutch humanitarian team started their journey on January 14 from a small village of Holland, Andjik and passed through countries like Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran and Pakistan to reach here. They did not have to pay any duty in any country.

The 14-year-old NGO has been in the forefront of extending a helping hand to the people living in trouble- torn regions of the world, including Bosnia, Slovenia, Croatia, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Kurdistan, Iraq, Sudan, Albania, Chechnya and Israel.