SRINAGAR, JULY 25 |
In a decisive crackdown to safeguard the legacy of authentic Kashmiri handicrafts, the Department of Handicrafts & Handloom, Kashmir, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to all registered dealers: Remove all machine-made and imported products from showrooms—or face blacklisting, deregistration, and legal action under the J&K Tourist Trade Act, 1978.
The stern directive, issued vide Notice No. H&HD/DDQC/TTA/95/2025 dated 25.07.2025, follows a series of inspections across key tourist zones including Nishat, Nehru Park, and Munawarabad, where officials discovered widespread sale of machine-made items from Turkey and Iran, falsely passed off as handmade Kashmiri crafts.
“You are bound by affidavit to sell only genuine Kashmiri handicrafts. Any breach is a punishable offence,” the Notice warns. Such fraudulent practices, it says, not only deceive tourists but also damage the international reputation and G.I. status of Kashmir’s heritage crafts.
The department has already taken action—penalizing defaulting dealers, blacklisting one trader for pasting fake QR codes on a machine-made carpet to mimic G.I. certification. “This is not just a violation of trade ethics, it’s a legal offence under multiple statutes including the G.I. Act, Quality Control Act, and Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita,” a department spokesman said.
Registered dealers must now display valid G.I. certifications and QR labels, verified through PTQCC, IICT, or recognized quality control labs. All machine-made products must be removed within seven days, failing which the department will proceed with deregistration, blacklisting, and legal prosecution.
The Notice also urged unregistered dealers and hawkers involved in the craft business to immediately approach the Quality Control Division for mandatory registration under the Tourist Trade Act, 1978.
The message is clear: zero tolerance for misbranding and exploitation of Kashmir’s traditional crafts. The department has vowed to protect artisans, uphold quality, and take firm action against fraud.
