The BIS department has become very active with product quality checks, random raids and sample lifting along with keeping vigil of complaints. Few of the metros are on alert mode such as Mumbai and Hyderabad. Recently the Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) raided the premises of some Plywood warehouses in Bhiwandi, Maharashtra and they found misusing the BIS standard mark and approximately 2928 numbers of plywood were seized which were marked with spurious BIS Standard Mark, said BIS Mumbai office.
On the similar note the trader was raided for a fake ISI mark on wood in Hyderabad also a week ago on December 16, 2022. In a major raid, officials of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Hyderabad, seized plywood and block boards with fake BIS standard ISI marks. A search was conducted on a trader at Dammaiguda, in Medchal- Malkajgiri district, and a huge quantity of marine plywood and block boards with fake BIS standard marks was identified. Officials had seized 180 plywood and block boards. The seized material had expired or fake BIS licence numbers, according to BIS head and scientist, KV Rao.
The plywood were marked with ISI mark as per IS 710 (Marine Plywood) and IS 303 (plywood for general purposes) and IS 4990 (Plywood for concrete shuttering work) and carried invalid licence numbers. The misuse of BIS standard mark is punishable with imprisonment up to two years or a fine of minimum Rs. 2,00,000 or both as per BIS Act 2016. Action is being initiated to file a case in the court of law for the offence.
BIS urges all to use the BIS CARE App (available both in Mobile Android + IOS) and also requests to ascertain the genuineness of ISI Mark on the product before making a purchase, by visiting BIS website http://www.bis.gov.in. It has been observed many times that fake ISI marked products are manufactured and sold to consumers for huge profit.
BIS Mumbai office said citizens are requested that in case they come across any instance of misuse of ISI Mark on any product, the same may be informed to the Head, MUBO-II, Western Regional Office, BIS, 2nd Floor, NTH(WR), F-10, MIDC, Andheri (East), Mumbai - 400 093. Such complaints can also be made by E-mail at the address hmubo2@bis.gov.in. The source of such information will be kept confidential.