One Day GI Camp North Lakhimpur (Assam)
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Report on the One Day GI Camp in North Lakhimpur (Assam) on Effective use of Geographical Indications - MUGA Silk of ASSAM by Stakeholders March 17th, 2015 Conducted by Tezpur University Intellectual Property Rights (TUIPR) Cell & Intellectual Property Rights Cell, Dibrugarh University in Collaboration with North Lakhimpur College (Autonomous College) Lakhimpur, Assam and Technical Support of Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai April 15, 2015 TUIPR/Reports/38/2012/16 Muga Silk of Assam got a Geographical Indication (GI) registration in 2007 and in 2012, a Logo for GI- Muga Silk of Assam was also registered (Registered GI applications no 55 & 384). Assam Science, Technology and Environment Council (ASTEC) is the Registered Proprietor of the GI. Surprisingly from 2007 to 2014 there were only two “authorised users” of this GI. From 2014 to date, 19 applications to become authorised users of the GI - Muga Silk of Assam have been made to the GI Registry in Chennai, of which 14 applications have been published in the GI Journals (Journal Nos 59 & 62) and 5 applications are yet to be published. The Tezpur University Intellectual Property Rights (TUIPR) Cell initiated a project to identify the key reasons for such low usage of the GI - Muga Silk of Assam. Extensive field work was undertaken in some of the areas in which “Sericulture to Production of MUGA Products” is active to understand the dynamics of the MUGA Silk value chain. The key reasons identified by Shri Arshad Hussain, JRF in the TUIPR Cell were low awareness of the significance of GI, non-availability of reliable quality monitoring systems to differentiate “genuine MUGA Silk” from “adulterated MUGA” products, insignificant oganisational support across the entire value chain including nonexistence of enforcement mechanisms in the State of Assam against adulteration and mixed products in the market place. A Regional Workshop titled “Protection of Traditional Product Names in the North East Region using Geographical indications ........ Its importance in enhancing business and promoting Regional Art and Craft” was conducted in Guwahati on 9th January 2015 in which around 100 stakeholders across the MUGA value chain participated. In addition to presentations on the basics of GI, the participants were engaged in an intense discussion to focus on the critical issues related to MUGA Silk industry in the State of Assam. One of the main reasons for the low number of “authorised users” in Assam was attributed to the near ignorance of the value of GI at the grassroots level and the difficulties in the preparation of error free applications to be sent to the GI Registry in Chennai. Immediately following the workshop of January 9, 2015, Shri Arshad Hussain of the TUIPR Cell was deputed to conduct an extended field work in places like Dhakuakhana ,Ghilamara, Nakari, Panigaon, Khelmati, Napam and Rangpuria, to mobilise the stakeholders at the grassroots level for the GI Camp that was held on March 17, 2015 in North Lakhimpur of Lakhimpur District Mr Arshad Hussain during his pre-workshop visit to (Assam) ------- a rich hub of MUGA Silk production. the villages of Lakhimpur District Tezpur University IPR Cell (with funding support of the MHRD IPR Chair), the recently formed IPR Cell of Dibrugarh University and the faculty, including student volunteers of North Lakhimpur College, Assam collaborated in this unique GI Camp. Though no representatives from the GI Registry, Chennai could attend this GI Camp, the Asst. Registrar provided technical support by way of information booklets and procedural guidance on steps to prepare error-free applications for “authorised users” of the GI - Muga Silk of Assam. This GI Camp was truly “a grassroots initiative” as the proceedings were conducted mainly in Assamese language and partly in Hindi to ensure complete communication among all the participants and the organisers. Annexure I presents the GI Camp programme on March 17, 2015. Annexure II presents the unique brochure on GI and its significance with the Participants introducing themselves objectives of this workshop, prepared exclusively in Assamese. The day started with registration of the participants who had converged from within a radius of about 70 kms. One hundred seventeen (117) stakeholders from 33 villages of Lakhimpur District registered (Annexures III and IV) for this GI Camp. Students and faculty members of North Lakhimpur College and prominent local personalities participated in this camp. Dr Tara Nath Duwara, Department of Anthropology, Dibrugarh University represented Dibrugarh University in this GI Camp. The inaugural session was presided by Dr Biman Ch Chetia, Principal, North Lakhimpur College. He appreciated the initiatives taken up by two premier Dr Biman Ch Chetia speaking about the importance of the Camp institutions of Assam like Tezpur and Dibrugarh University for the cause of MUGA Silk stakeholders. Delivering the welcome address, Dr Pritam Deb, Coordinator, TUIPR Cell, Tezpur University gave a brief overview (in Assamese) of the activities and initiatives of the TUIPR Cell. He also highlighted the significance of this GI Camp and urged the participants to take full advantage of these efforts and become authorised users Dr P Deb welcoming the gathering of the GI - Muga Silk of Assam so that they can derive appropriate economic benefits and progress in their businesses profitably in this region. Introducing the “theme of the camp”, Prof. Prabuddha Ganguli, MHRD IPR Chair Professor, Tezpur University explained to the stakeholders (in Hindi) the rights of “authorized users of any GI” and how they can actually use the registered GI – MUGA Silk of Assam to derive Prof P Ganguli elaborating the theme of the camp higher gains in their respective businesses. He also gave examples of how GI has been effectively used in Europe by producers of agricultural goods. He further showed with examples of how “collective trademark” and “certification trademark” can be used in conjunction with the “GI Logo” by the “authorised users” to enhance value of their commercial ventures. He ended his introductory remarks with the importance of creating “local bodies”, “associations”, “clusters” and “cooperatives” and how using the various tools of IPR such as patents, trademarks, design registrations, and GI could create a new mode of working to promote socio-economic development of the communities in these regions. The “guest of honour”, Dr Hamendra Kr Gogoi, former Principal and President, Governing Body, North Lahimpur College spoke in Assamese and expressed his concern on the uncontrolled adulteration in MUGA Silk and how this is leading to a constant decline in returns to genuine MUGA Silk producers in the region. He urged the participants to immediately register as “authorised users of GI - Muga Silk of Assam”. He also highlighted the significant fall in the quality and quantity of cocoons due to the uncontrolled use of pesticides and chemicals in the vicinities of the cultivation of Dr Hamendra Kr Gogoi delivering his lecture the pupas. He cautioned against the dangers of environmental pollution as it is adversely affecting the unique colour and quality of MUGA Silk. The technical session was coordinated in Assamese by Shri Bipul Saikia, Assistant Professor, North Lakhimpur College. He has long been involved in research related to sericulture and has been interacting with various stakeholders in the Muga value chain in this region. He gave an eloquent presentation on the various factors that affect the Mr Bipul Saikia coordinating during technical session quality of the pupa and their impact on the quality of thread and the woven products. He urged the participants to actively participate in the camp and contribute to the establishment of a vibrant MUGA Silk industry in this region. The first presentation in technical session was conducted in Assamese by Dr (Smt) Suchibrata Goswami of TUIPR Cell. She gave an “Overview of Intellectual Property Rights” using slides in Assamese. She explained how various aspects of IPR such as patents, trademarks, design registrations and GI can be intelligently used to protect creations of the human mind. She then used diverse Dr Suchibrata Goswami speaking on IPR tools aspects of MUGA Silk products, MUGA Silk production and processes to explain how different tools of IPR can be used to protect innovations in the MUGA Silk value chain. This introductory session activated the participants and induced them to think of their own activities and identify the type of innovations they have been involved in and how they can gain from IPR in their own MUGA silk related activities. Smt. Juri Borbora Saikia of TUIPR Cell spoke in Assamese on “Geographical Indications with special reference to Muga Silk of Assam”. She elaborated on the concept of GI and illustrated how the environments in Ms Juri Borbora Saikia explaining GI specific geographical regions affect the properties and characteristics of various products. She also elaborated on the provisions of the GI Act in India, on how the “names” of products produced in certain regions that have gained reputation over time are protected by GI and how these “protected names” add value in businesses. She showed the participants how the packet of “Bikanneri Bhujia” is marked with a GI logo and how this has now begun to yield higher value in the market place. She then introduced the “logo of GI - Muga Silk of Assam” to the participants and indicated to them that they can use this logo only if they become “authorised users” of the Muga GI by making their applications to the GI Registry in Chennai. The uniqueness of the GI-Muga Silk of Assam was explained to the stakeholders. The significance of the MUGA as defined in the GI Application was highlighted. She explained to the participants that only the “authorised users” who satisfied the specifications laid down in the GI Application, would be entitled to use the “logo of GI - Muga Silk of Assam” on their products.