Dealer blacklisted in Tangmarg for selling machine-made carpet as handmade

Srinagar, July 22: The Directorate of Handicrafts and Handloom, Kashmir on Tuesday blacklisted and deregistered a craft showroom in Tangmarg area of Baramulla after it was found guilty of selling a machine-made carpet as GI-certified handmade Kashmiri carpet.Talking to Rising Kashmir Director H&H Kashmir, Mussarat ul Islam said acting on a complaint filed by a tourist, Syed Furqan Alam, who alleged that he was misled into purchasing a machine-made carpet bearing a fake GI certification label.”We have blacklisted a showroom “The Kashmir Art Bazaar, in Konchipora, Tangmarg, after it was found guilty of selling a machine-made carpet for ₹2.55 lakh by falsely claiming it was a hand-knotted, GI-certified Kashmiri carpet,” he said.Director Mussarat said that the seller used a forged QR code resembling an official label issued by the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT), Srinagar, to misrepresent the authenticity of the product. “The Quality Control wing of the department conducted a physical inspection, seized the carpet, and found the evidence submitted by the complainant to be credible,” he said.Mussarat said the reply submitted by the seller was misleading and unsatisfactory. Based on documentary evidence and verification from IICT, it was concluded that the QR code was fake and had been deliberately pasted onto a machine-made carpet.The department has also directed that a formal complaint be lodged with the Senior Superintendent of Police, Tourism Enforcement, Kashmir, seeking criminal investigation and action against the proprietor. Authorities have also sought a probe into the network allegedly involved in pasting fake GI labels on industrially manufactured products. Director of further said that incident is part of a broader pattern of fraudulent activity that damages the reputation of Kashmir’s traditional handicrafts sector and undermines the livelihoods of local artisans and weavers.“This is a deliberate attempt to deceive customers and exploit the GI certification meant to protect the identity and authenticity of Kashmiri handmade products. We have adopted a zero-tolerance policy against such malpractices. No showroom or trader will be allowed to misuse the Kashmir brand to sell machine-made items,” he said.Dr Zia also confirmed that the seized carpet has been sent for testing at a NABL-accredited laboratory, which is the only such lab in India authorized to authenticate these products.Meanwhile directorate is also coordinating with the Department of Industries and Commerce to ensure that all products manufactured in industrial units across Kashmir are clearly labeled as machine-made. He said that a list of such products has been shared with the department to prevent further misbranding.The department reiterated that both surprise inspections and consumer complaint mechanisms are being actively used to detect and prevent fraud in the handicrafts sector. Several showrooms have previously been blacklisted and fake products seized from the market.Director further said misbranding and fraudulent sales of machine-made items under the garb of Kashmiri handmade crafts erode consumer trust and negatively impact artisans at the grassroots level.He said once the seller realised the fraud had been detected, he attempted to remove the fake QR label from the carpet to cover up the malpractice. However, evidence provided by the complainant and expert verification from IICT confirmed the wrongdoing.”Such fraudulent acts of misbranding genuine handmade products not only violate consumer trust but directly undermine the GI-certified identity of Kashmiri craft, threatening the livelihood of lakhs of artisans and weavers,” Director said.Appealing to showroom owners and traders, Zia said they appeal people to strictly avoid selling fake or misrepresented products. Tourists and buyers have been advised to immediately report any suspected fraud to the Department of Handicrafts and Handloom, Kashmir, he said.”We take this opportunity to warn all business stakeholders in craft sector to desist from selling machine-made items in the garb of handmade products, failing which the Department will take immediate action by black-listing and de-registration of such showrooms,” he added.  Director further urged all buyers and tourists to contact the Handicrafts and Handloom Department, Kashmir, if they have been sold a machine-made product in the garb of handmade items.The department has also set up 432 training centres across the region to support and sustain the artisan community and ensure the continuation of authentic handicraft traditions.Meanwhile a formal criminal complaint has been ordered, and further legal proceedings have been recommended under the GI Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.