May 2: Beware ? the ISI mark that you look for while buying electrical accessories may not be genuine.

Of late, the city markets have been flooded with products with fake ISI marks, forcing the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to start a crackdown against misuse of the standard mark. The fake cases detected in the city have jumped from four in 2003-04 to 14 in 2004-05.

BIS director P. Chandra Rao said the ISI mark was most misused for electrical items and plywood. It is also found on pressure cookers, block board, glass putty and PVC pipes, among others.

The misuse of the ISI mark is more in the case of 14 electrical items where the ISI certification is mandatory, such as electrical wires and cables, electric iron, radiators, stove, switches and immersion water heater. Their manufacturing, storing or selling without the ISI mark is an offence under the BIS Act.

?It has come to our notice that many manufacturers do not apply for ISI certification because of the cost involved and illegally use the mark or its imitation, thereby cheating the buyers,? Rao said.

He said these unscrupulous dealers not only cause monetary loss to customers, but also expose them to risk of life and property as use of inferior equipment might lead to accidents.

Manufacturers who are capable of manufacturing products as per the Indian standard specifications are granted licenses to use the ISI mark on their products. The manufacturers are required to apply for the licence, following which a BIS officer visits the manufacturing unit for preliminary inspection. He checks the manufacturing and testing facilities, collects samples from the production line for testing in the firm?s laboratory and an independent laboratory. If the independent laboratory passes the sample, the manufacturer gets the licence.

The bureau has stepped up its market survey to detect such unfair practices and on the basis of the survey report they have carried out raids at Fancy Bazar, Athgaon, Zoo Road Tinali, Maligaon and Ganeshguri. It is helped by the bureau of investigation (economic offences) (BIEO) of Assam police in its drive to curb such illegal practices.

Rao said the products having fake ISI marks are mostly imported to the city from New Delhi and Punjab. He said it is difficult to bust the manufacturer in most cases. ?They are not registered companies and do not mention their true address on the product or the date of manufacturer and batch number. The retailers claim ignorance about the manufacturer and maintain that unknown delivery boys supplied the products.?

Rao said misuse of ISI mark or its imitation is punishable under the BIS Act. ?The punishment may be one year?s imprisonment, a fine of Rs 50,000 or both,? he added. As per the law there are 109 items which require mandatory ISI certification.

In February, 2003, police had arrested two traders on charges of selling duplicate electrical cables under the brand name of a reputed company. A case of cheating under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code was registered against them and three other electrical shops.

A BIEO source said consumer durables, from soap to hi-tech household appliances, the counterfeits are so much like the original that only a discerning buyer may be able to differentiate between them.

In June last year, Hindustan Lever Limited (HLL) had filed a complaint that fake products bearing the label name or mark identical to its product Wheel (cake) was being sold in the market.

In 2003, Mico had also complained that some dealers were selling duplicate motor parts using the name of the company.

A senior BIEO official said they had detected a case where a trading house was involved in procuring and selling adulterated lubricants under the brand name of some reputed companies like Servo, HP, Castrol and Gulf.