Srinagar, November 18: The Quality Control Wing (QCW) of Directorate of Handicrafts & Handlooms (DH&H) Kashmir carried out inspection drive in the notified tourist areas of Munawarabad, M.A Link Road, Poloview, Residency road Lalchowk and its adjoining markets to check the implementation of Jammu & Kashmir Tourist Trade Act 1978, Jammu & Kashmir Handicrafts Quality Control Act and Jammu & Kashmir Namdha Quality Control Act.
During the course of inspection the handicraft dealers found violating the norms of the said acts were penalized and an amount of Rs 22500 were realized as fine from the erring dealers.
The dealers were strictly warned to desist from the sale of fake machine made lookalikes of Kashmir art products in the name of Kashmir Art & Crafts and advised to affix tags depicting price and composition on each item displayed for sale.
During the course of inspection drive all handicrafts dealers were given brief awareness about the benefits of the GI tagging on the notified Kashmir Crafts, and impact of such tagging in building the brand image of Kashmir Arts products certification and authenticity thus provided will also help in eradicating the menace of machine made and misbranding of Kashmir art products. G.I is the way to safeguard our Heritage Art & craft.
The departmental initiative in seeking an affidavit from the registered handicrafts dealers for ensuring sale of GI tagged products has started to yield the desired results. The Handicraft dealers and other stakeholders are accordingly advised to play their role in promoting the GI tagging on the notified Kashmir Crafts.
All the visiting tourists are through the medium of this notice informed to ensure purchase of only GI tagged Kashmir Art products from such handicrafts business establishments which are registered with Directorate of Handicrafts & Handloom under Jammu & Kashmir Tourist Trade Act. They should also ask from the handicrafts dealer cash memos for every purchase and retain /preserve the copy of the same for any future use.
