Government Steps Up Crackdown on Spurious 2-Wheeler Helmets, Pressure Cooker, Cooking Gas Cylinder

Consumer protection regulator CCPA on Wednesday said it has stepped up crackdown on counterfeit or spurious household products like pressure cooker, two-wheeler helmet and cooking gas cylinder carrying fake 'IS mark' as apart of a special drive in the interest of public safety.

Already, the Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued notices to five e-commerce entities, including Amazon, Flipkart and PaytmMall, as well as various sellers for offering pressure cookers that are non-compliant with Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) norms, it said. "We have stepped up monitoring and enforcement on sale of spurious products not only in the physical market but also on the e-commerce platforms.

We have identified three daily household products -- domestic pressure cooker, two-wheeler helmet and cooking gas cylinder -- as part of a countrywide drive," CCPA Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare told PTI. To curb sale of spurious products and counterfeit goods in the physical market, the CCPA has directed all district collectors across the country to inquire into or investigate complaints regarding violation of rights of consumers as a class within its jurisdiction and submit a report in the next two months, she said.

Further, the CCPA is personally monitoring all e-commerce websites to check sale of defective products, especially the three products identified as part of the campaign so that to initiate a class action lawsuit, she added. Appealing to consumers to be aware of fake products, Khare said while shopping these daily household goods, the consumers should first look for the 'IS (Indian Standard)' mark of the BIS for their own safety.

Even on the websites, consumers should check for this quality sign in the product features. Consumers should be aware that domestic pressure cooker, two-wheeler helmet and cooking gas cylinder are some of the mandatory products that have to comply with the BIS quality norms. These products cannot be sold without the mandatory 'ISI' mark', she said. For instance, consumers should check for 'IS 4151:2015' mark of BIS on two-wheeler helmets while 'IS 2347: 2017' mark on domestic cooker pressure, she added.

Section 7 of the BIS Act prohibits any person to manufacture, import, distribute, sell, hire, lease store or exhibit for sale of any such goods without the mandatory use of 'IS' market. Khare said the BIS has also been asked to crackdown on sale of these spurious products in the physical markets across the country.

These three products are of most importance to any household. Out of the three products, householders must be using one or two products, she said and added the CCPA will take suo motto cognizance of unfair trade practices with regard to sale of these essential daily-use products that do not conform to BIS standards.

(PTI)