Weavers violate patent right of Uppada Jamdani saris

01 Nov '10

2 min read

About two years ago, the Chennai-based GI Registry of India had conferred the GI certification on the 300 years' old Uppada Jamdani saris. The GI registration has granted about 1,500 weavers the distinctive right to produce and market their products under the label. The products include saris, churidars, sets, scarfs, stoles woven with Uppada designs and patterns. The most unique feature of these saris is that these are completely handwoven and do not involve any mechanical devices. The design pattern appears evenly on both sides of the material.

Around 1,500 families of trained handloom weavers of Uppada Jamdani saris are now facing severe challenges in spite of the fact that their product is legally secured under the 1999 Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act. Several weavers have started duplicating the Jamdani designs and are selling the forged products at lower prices.

Handloom weavers from about 20 villages like Gollaprolu, Ommangi, Yedidi, Veeravaram and Angara in East Godavari district, Payakaraopeta in Visakhapatnam and Ponduru in Srikakulam districts are involved in producing fake Uppada Jamdani saris which cost between Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,000 while the original sari costs between Rs 5,000 to Rs 60,000.

They are selling their products openly since past few months. The government has also not taken any strict action against this illegal practice. As per the law, any person caught violating the patent right is likely to get an imprisonment from six months to two years and a penalty between Rs 5,000 and Rs 50,000.

Fibre2fashion News Desk-India

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