PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, Aug 23: Jewellers across Steel city and elsewhere in the state joined the nationwide token strike on Monday unhappy with the new hallmarking rules and specifically the norms around the Hallmarking Unique ID (HUID).
The day-long strike was observed in response to a call given by the All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC).
” The strike was supported by various jewellery associations and federations,” said Bipin Adeshra, president of Jamshedpur Jewellers’ Association.
He said they cannot accept the new HUID as it has nothing to do with the purity of gold.
” The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) feels the new HUID will improve gold purity but jewellers think it is just a tracking mechanism, ” explained another jeweller who owns a plush store at Bistupur, a commercial hub.
The one-day token strike was peaceful against the arbitrary implementation of HUID. Over 300 small and large stores downed shutters on Monday as a mark of protest.
The jewellers assembled at Bistupur and Sonari with banners and posters to express their solidarity against new gold hallmarking rules.
A section of jewellers pointed out that the new HUID system is not fool-proof as there have been lots of issues such as double HUID on the same piece, same HUID on multiple pieces of jewellery etc.
Gold hallmarking, a purity certification of the precious metal, was voluntary in nature so far. Jewellers selling non-certified products are to face fines from September.
Mandatory gold hallmarking has come into force from June 16 in a phased manner.
The government has identified 256 districts from 28 states and union territories for the phase-1 implementation and is applicable to jewellers with an annual turnover above Rs 40 lakh.
