Guwahati, May 14: A search and seizure operation was carried out by officials of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Guwahati branch office, on the premises of Plascom Industries LLP, located in the Rani industrial area of Kamrup district, on Wednesday.
The operation was conducted on the basis of specific intelligence inputs and discreet investigations undertaken by BIS officials,” an official statement said on Thursday.
During the operation, it was found that the establishment was engaged in the manufacture and unauthorised marking of ‘polypropylene (PP) woven sacks for packaging of 25 kg polymer material’ without any valid licence/authorisation from BIS.
Altogether 6.0 metric tonnes (MT) of PP woven sacks bearing unauthorised ISI markings were seized during the operation.
Further investigation revealed that the manufacturer was dealing in products that were not certified by BIS, despite these items falling under mandatory certification.
The product – ‘polypropylene (PP) woven sacks for packaging of 25 kg polymer material’ are covered under Indian Standards as IS 16703: 2017, and are notified for compulsory BIS certification by the Government of India.
“Action is being initiated against the offenders under Section 17(1) and 17(3) of the BIS Act, 2016. The violation is punishable with imprisonment of up to two years or a fine not less than Rs 2,00,000, or both,” the statement said.
According to the BIS Act, 2016, no person is permitted to use or apply, or purport to use or apply, the standard mark or any imitation thereof in the manufacture, sale, distribution or offering of goods without obtaining a valid licence from BIS.
The Bureau further requested citizens to report any instance of misuse of the ISI mark or sale of products without mandatory BIS certification.
