Jewellers, Swarnkars protest in Jammu, seek amendment in Hallmarking Act

Jammu, Aug 23 (UNI) Seeking amendments in the Hallmarking Act, the Jewellers under the banners of Sarafa Association Jammu Province and Swarankar Sangh Jammu on Monday held protests across Jammu region.
Protesting jewellers assembled at Jain Bazar to press the Union Government to carry out some necessary amendments in the new BIS Act, wherein hallmarking has been made mandatory for all jewellers across the country, which has been welcomed by all the jewellers, but there are some provisions in the Act which demand amendment.
The Association President Raman Suri said that the Union Government has made Hallmarking of Jewellery in India mandatory, which is in good faith of both the jewellers as well as consumers alike, but jewellers from across the country are facing hardships in getting the jewellery items hallmarked because of less number of hallmark centres and it is practically impossible to get delicate items stamped with HUID (Hallmarking Unique Identification Number), due to which they are facing hardships, especially in the festive season.
“The one-day token strike was mandated to let the government know that things are not going well on ground,” he said adding that the new BIS Act and the way in which BIS authorities are trying to implement the government orders, it is not at all going on in sync with the recommendations of NITI Aayog.
“The decision of one-day token strike, showing solidarity with the jewellers across India, was taken in a meeting convened by Sarafa Association Jammu Province and Swarankar Sangh Adhoc Committee Jammu,” he expressed.
Mr Suri flanked by President Swarankar Sangh Adhoc Committee, Jammu, Kulbhushan Anand joined by other office bearers said that the implementation of new laws has been done in an arbitrary manner, especially hallmarking of gold jewellery with HUID wherein jewellers are finding it hard to implement the same in letter and spirit.
The protestors urged the Union Government, especially Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Director-General Pramod Kumar Tiwari to revisit the Act and also the recommendations of NITI Aayog, so that real issues confronting the jewellers are ably understood and then implemented after necessary amendments.
“Due to certain issues, the jewellery business is suffering hugely. Despite that, jewellers in Jammu have gone only on a day-long strike to draw attention of the government towards their issues,” said the leader.
Jewellers across Jammu downed their shutters for one day as a matter of protest and decided to take next action only after some days.