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Bhubaneswar, July 10: The Union Textiles Ministry has directed the state government to take action against millers who are duplicating Sambalpuri saree designs, which have received the geographical indication (GI) tag.
The ministry has asked the government to file FIRs against the manufacturers, who are in the business of duplication of the sarees.
The ministry’s direction came after a team visited Bargarh district (July 1&2) to examine a complaint of Bargarh Zilla Bunakar Mahasangh regarding the issue of duplication of GI registered Sambalpur tie and dye sarees by some mill owners.
“The printed sarees having the same Sambalpuri Bandha Saree designs are being sold in Bargarh area at cheaper rates so that the sale of handloom ‘Sambalpuri Bandha Saree’ is affected,” Development Commissioner (Handlooms) Alok Kumar wrote to textiles and handlooms director GC Biswal recently.
Besides, the wages of master weavers are also dipped by about 10 to 25 per cent, he added.
“It has been ascertained from the sticker affixed and logo printed on the sarees that the printed sarees are manufactured in the brand name of ‘Bharat Vijay Sarees’ by Rajasthan-based miller Bharat Mohan Industries,” Kumar informed Biswal.
The sarees and fabrics are handloom products registered under the GI of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 and duplication of GI product is an offence under this Act, he pointed out.
The commissioner asked the director to lodge FIR against the erring printing mills and submit report to the Centre.