Thousands offer Eid prayers amid restrictions at Srinagar’s Jama Masjid
The chief cleric of Kashmir and Hurriyat leader, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, expressed anguish on the restrictions on offering prayers at Jama Masjid and Eidgah.
In a stringent move to curb the sale of counterfeit Kashmiri handicrafts to tourists, the Handicrafts and Handloom Department on Monday issued a stern warning to showroom owners in the Kashmir Valley.
They were instructed to refrain from selling machine-made items under the guise of genuine handmade products, failing which strict action under the Tourist Trade and Quality Control Acts will be taken.
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A spokesperson for the Handicrafts and Handloom Department revealed that numerous complaints have been received regarding the sale of machine-made Turkish carpets falsely labeled as authentic Kashmir hand-knotted carpets. This practice has tarnished the rich heritage of Kashmir’s handicrafts.
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“Acting promptly, several showrooms have been inspected, and unlabelled machine-made products have been confiscated,” the spokesperson stated.
The spokesperson further disclosed that the Central Inspection Squad from the Quality Control wing has been directed to intensify inspections of showrooms in Srinagar City, as well as along tourist routes to Gulmarg, Pahalgam, and other locations. The aim is to clamp down on traders misrepresenting machine-made goods as handmade Kashmiri art.
To promote the sale of authentic handmade products, stakeholders have been encouraged to approach the Handicrafts and Handloom Department for GI tagging, testing, and certification of their goods at institutions such as CDI and IICT. This initiative seeks to enhance customer satisfaction and safeguard the rich cultural heritage of Kashmir.
“The department has devised a plan to significantly boost the testing and certification capacity of handmade products, particularly at the Pashmina Testing and Quality Certification Centre at CDI,” the spokesperson added.
He also highlighted ongoing local and national-level IEC campaigns aimed at encouraging customers to insist on purchasing labeled, certified handmade products.
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