The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Hallmarking rules termed absurd and impractical

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Friday, Dec 21, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Hallmarking rules termed absurd and impractical

Special Correspondent

Jewellers urge Centre to reconsider the matter

Ground realities have been ignored, says GJF
Only 25 hallmarking centres in country, 500 needed

BANGALORE: The Gem and Jewellery Federation (GJF) has termed the Bureau of Indian Standards (Hallmarking of Precious Metals) Regulations “absurd and not practical” and urged the Union Government to reconsider the matter.

GJF Chairman Vinod Hayagriv told presspersons here on Thursday that the Centre had ignored the ground realities pertaining to the issue. The GJF, in its representations, had made it clear that the gem and jewellery industry was not against hallmarking. It had even agreed to assist the BIS in the smooth implementation of the regulations after adequate infrastructure was created. But the Government had not even provided an official copy of the amended BIS Act to the industry, he said.

The existing infrastructure for compulsory hallmarking in the form of assaying centres was inadequate. There were only 25 hallmarking centres in the four metropolitan cities in the country against the minimum of 500 centres required to cover over three lakh jewellery units across the country. The Government should not enforce the regulations without creating the infrastructure required, he said.

Compulsory licensing

The industry was also anxious about the introduction of compulsory licensing, which would again lead to a “licence raj”. It brought back memories of the now repealed Gold Control Act. Such measures would only hamper the growth of the industry, Mr. Hayagriv said.

‘No space’

Under the regulations, even jewellery weighing less than 5 gm should be hallmarked. But such a piece of jewellery would not have enough space for the hallmark insignia. Besides, the regulations, which “do not enjoy the consensus of the industry,” had been drafted without a proper understanding of the practicalities of the industry, he said.

‘Shift onus’

He demanded that the Government name all the items exempted from hallmarking. It should take steps to shift the onus of hallmarking from jewellers to hallmarking centres, Mr. Hayagriv added.

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