One Day Geographical Indications awareness seminar cum workshop entitled “Geographical Indication: Conservation & Importance” at Kausani (Bageshwar) on 15-OCT-2016
One Day Geographical Indications awareness seminar
One day seminar cum workshop on Geographical Indications awareness entitled “Geographical Indication: Conservation & Importance” organized by Patent Information Center (PIC), Uttarakhand State Council for Science & Technology (UCOST) & sponsored by Patent Facilitation Center (PFC), TIFAC was conducted at The Buransh, Kausani on 15th October 2015.
The workshop was inaugurated by the Chief Guest Dr. Rajendra Dobhal, Director General, UCOST, Dehradun. Dr. Kamal Kishore Pandey, IPR Cell Coordinator, M.B Govt. P.G College, Haldwani organized the workshop while Dr. Anju Rawat, Scientist-B & Incharge-PIC coordinated the program. The workshop witnessed the presence of Mr. Himanshu Goel and Mrs. AkankshaChandola, PIC officials, Prof. Lata Pandey, Mr. Tareesh Kapoor, Dr. B.P Kothari, Dr.Vashuda Agnihotri, Scientist-C GBPHIED, Kosi Katarmal etc, DrMahendra, Assistant Professor, M.B Govt. P.G College Haldwani. Approximately 70 farmers and NGO members like Capt. B.S Bisht, Shri Lal Singh, Mr. Sadannan Mishra, Mr. Parag Rawat were also benefited by the workshop.
Giving an overview of the workshop agenda, Dr. Dobhal said “Geographical Indications is a name/sign used on goods that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities, reputation or characteristics that are essentially attributable to that place of origin. Geographical Indications can be used for variety of products, whether natural, agricultural or manufactured.”
Speaking about many local products of the state like handloom, handicraft like Kausani Shawl, Nettle Fiber Craft and Agricultural Products of the state like Chura Ghee (Phulwara Oil), Uttarakhand Organic Tea, Uttarakhand kiChaullai etc.Dr. Dobhal suggested that they should be registered with GI to protect rights of the local producers.
Informing about the GI overview and all the legal& technical procedures to obtain GI, Dr. Anju Rawat gave a power point presentation on the topic experiences of producers with the protection of geographical indications. She further explained that the application for the registration must contain GI application form, a statement of case, the geographical map of the country/region or locality, the particulars regarding the appearance of the GI, an affidavit as to how the applicant claim to represent the interest of the concerned persons/ producers/ authority or organizations.
She also emphasis that GI registration provides the registered proprietor and the authorized userthe exclusive right to protect the registered GI on the specified goods, she informed that the process will also help to stop the monopolization of the market and would enable the producers to control prices, i.e., can charge premium prices, thereby enhancing profits.
At the end, some of the farmers like Mr. Suresh Ram, a handcraft artisan, who makes wooden historical monuments inside glass bootle, Mr. Lal Singh, a nearby farmer who used modern way of farming and earn more than Rs. 2 Lakh per annum, Mr. Sadanan Mishra and Mrs. Lakshmi Prasad share their experiences related to handicraft and handloom business nearby.
In the thanksgiving speech, Dr. Kamal Kishore Pandey explained the triad of creativity, inventiveness and innovation and their linkages with the enhancement of quality of life of the people in general and owners of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions of the people of hilly area.
