PIONEER NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) will soon begin a large-scale campaign to check and raid establishments across Uttarakhand to crack down on the manufacture and sale of non-ISI marked products. BIS will also make gold hallmarking mandatory in seven more districts of the State, in addition to the six where it is already compulsory.
Speaking at a Press conference in Dehradun on Wednesday, BIS Dehradun director and head Saurabh Tiwari said they recently conducted raids across various states and found numerous products being sold without ISI certification. They are planning similar checks and raids in Uttarakhand too. He said that while most major manufacturing units are already linked with BIS in Uttarakhand, the upcoming initiative will ensure that all relevant industries comply with BIS standards or face strict action. He also informed that currently, hallmarking on gold articles is mandatory in Dehradun, Almora, Pauri, Nainital, Haridwar and Pithoragarh. It will now also become mandatory in Tehri, Uttarkashi, Udham Singh Nagar, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Bageshwar, and Champawat, Tiwari said.
He also stated that hallmarking will soon be made mandatory for silver articles too to ensure the authenticity of silver products. Tiwari said that BIS has also approached the State administration to introduce a scheme that encourages young entrepreneurs in Uttarakhand to set up BIS-recognised Assaying and Hallmarking Centres. These centres will carry out the hallmarking process for gold articles and help improve access to certified products across the region. Tiwari added that BIS, along with partner organisations and NGOs, is actively working to raise awareness about hallmarked gold and ISI-certified products, especially in remote areas and Gram Panchayats where knowledge of such standards remains limited. “We are committed to taking this awareness to every rural area of the State. I also urge all consumers to check the quality of products, especially jewellery and other valuable items, while shopping during festivals,” he said.
Tiwari encouraged consumers to use the BIS CARE mobile app to verify the authenticity of products. “When buying jewellery, choose only hallmarked items with a Hallmark Unique Identity (HUID). For electronics and other items, always look for the ISI mark or registration number to ensure quality,” he added.
