The government has issued mandatory quality norms for asbestos or fibre cement-based products to curb the import of sub-standard goods and boost domestic manufacturing.<\/p>\n
A notification ‘Asbestos or Fibre Cement based Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 ‘ was issued in this regard by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) on March 6 this year.<\/p>\n
Under these orders, items cannot be produced, sold, traded, imported and stocked unless they bear the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) mark.<\/p>\n
“It shall come into force on the expiry of six months from the date of publication of this notification in the Official Gazette,” the DPIIT notification said.<\/p>\n
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To safeguard the domestic small\/micro industries and ensure smooth implementation of the QCO and ease of doing business, relaxations have been granted to small\/micro industries as regards to timeliness. An additional nine months have been given to small industries and an additional 12 months to micro industries to meet the norms.<\/p>\n
Violation of the provision of the BIS Act can attract imprisonment of up to two years or a fine of at least \u20b92 lakh for the first offence.<\/p>\n
Various initiatives, including the development of QCO, are being undertaken by the department to develop quality sensitisation among users and manufacturers alike.<\/p>\n
Mandatory QCOs help curb the import of sub-standard products, prevent unfair trade practices and ensure the safety and well-being of consumers as well as the environment.<\/p>\n
Earlier, such orders have been issued for several goods, including smart meters, welding rods and electrodes, cookware and utensils, fire extinguishers, electric ceiling fans and domestic gas stoves. <\/p>\n