With Pollution Control Board notices, AHC staff stand to lose jobs

Hyderabad: Even as gold jewellery merchants continue to face several hurdles in the HUID (hallmark unique identification number) process, the TSPCB notices to shift the assaying and hallmarking centres (AHCs) to the outer ring road (ORR) have come as another major blow to the jewellers as hundreds of employees stand to lose their jobs.

Most jewellery merchants employ workers skilled in dealing with gold jewellery and from different states like Kerala, West Bengal, Telangana and AP. “Trust is an important and key component in working at an AHC. Over 1,000 to 1,500 employees are working in 29 AHCs in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad and they will be unemployed due to the notices,” said a gold jewellery merchant.

Further, transporting the ornaments to the ORR faces the risk of thefts. “It is our responsibility to return the jewellery to the customer safely with the hallmark and we are not in a position to take such huge risks,” said the owner of an AHC at Pot Market in Secunderabad.“The government can implement the GO 20 with amendments instead of issuing notices, which is creating a problem,” said a gold merchant in Panjagutta. The Indian Association of Hallmarking Centres also demanded the central government to make an amendment to GO 20 issued in 2013 by the industries and commerce department.

Courtesy: Times of India