Dealers fined Rs 40k for selling ‘lookalikes of Kashmir art products’

SRINAGAR: With the onset of Tourist Season in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and huge tourist inflow in the tourist areas, Enforcement Wing of Quality Control Division, Directorate of Handicrafts have started special Inspection drives to check if the dealers are carrying on the business of notified craft items in conformity to the Jammu & Kashmir Tourist Trade Act 1978, Jammu & Kashmir Namdha Quality Control Act 1960 and Jammu & Kashmir Handicraft Quality Control Act 1978.

The aim of such inspections is to preserve the centuries old cottage industry and safeguard the interests of Handicraft artisans, whose livelihood is at stake due to the influx of machine made products in the market often misbranded and sold in the name of Kashmir Handicrafts.

The department has launched an ambitious campaign of GI tagging/QR coding of the notified crafts, to ensure that only genuine Craft products manufactured as per the laid down standards are displayed for sale.

A customer/ tourist can check all the parameters/specifications of the product just by the click of a button. The label also provides the details of an artisan/manufacturer. This step will go a long way in empowerment of the real stake holders, who shall also have to play a vital role in promotion of the GI labeling/QR coding of notified craft products.

Meanwhile, on 21 June, 2023, a special inspection drive was conducted by the field inspection team in respect of Handicrafts dealers operating in the Nishat and Shalimar tourist areas.

During the course of inspection some handicraft dealers found violating the norms of the above acts and were penalized with an amount of Rs 40,000. The dealers were strictly warned to desist from the sale of fake machine made lookalikes of Kashmir art products and advised to affix tags depicting price and composition on each item displayed for sale.

It was advised that they should also refrain from any kind of malpractice such as touting and impersonation, which carries huge penalties under the said acts.

All the visiting tourists through the medium of this press release are hereby informed, to ensure purchase of only genuine handicraft items especially GI tagged notified Kashmir Art products from such handicrafts business establishments which are registered with Directorate of Handicrafts & Handloom. They should also seek from the dealer Cash memos for every purchase and retain /preserve the copy of the same for any future use.

In case of any complaint of malpractice, they can contact the below mentioned addresses Directorate Of Handicrafts & Handloom (Kashmir) Kashmir Haat Srinagar Phone No. 0194 2472065 and Deputy Director (Quality Control) Salina Srinagar Phone Number: 0194 2313538.