Planning to buy a hand blender? Check for BIS certification, as many in Hyderabad sell blenders without it-Telangana Today

The BIS officials seized hand blenders which do not have BIS certification, which is meant to protect the users. The local manufacturers are manufactuirng the hand blender and selling them directly whithout the mandatory BIS certification

Hyderabad: Are you planning to buy a hand blender to make smoothies or protein shakes or milk shakes? Beware. Many blender sold in Hyderabad do not have the BIS certification, which is mandatory for ensuring safety of the users.

This was established when the officials of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) searched a factory outlet in Basheerbagh. The BIS team found as many as 2635 blenders worth over Rs 77 lakh being offered for sale without the mandatory BIS certification and Standard Mark. “The absence of BIS certification is not only a violation of the law but also poses serious safety risks to consumers”, a bureau press release said on Wednesday.

These products fall under IS 302(part 2/Section 14), made mandatory by the Government of India through a Quality Control Order (QCO) with effect from 1st May 2019, to ensure the safety of users in household settings, the press release explained.

Here is some more information about BIS Act:

• Sale of these uncertified goods is a violation of Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016
• The section of law prohibits the manufacture, storage, sale, or distribution of goods covered under QCOs without the requisite BIS certification.
• Violations of the law are punishable with imprisonment of up to two years, or a fine not less than ₹2 lakhs for the first offence, and ₹5 lakhs or more for repeat offences.
• The offence is cognizable in nature, and BIS will initiate appropriate legal proceedings against the violators.
• The BIS Act, 2016 empowers the Central Government to make compliance with Indian Standards mandatory by issuing Quality Control Orders.
• To date, 769 products have been brought under this mandatory certification regime.
• It is illegal to manufacture, import, sell, or exhibit such products without a valid BIS license. Strict penalties are provided under the Act to deter such violations.