PANJIM: The Goa Civic and Consumer Action network (GOACAN) has decided to petition Minister of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Govind Gaude to bring helmets under the mandatory certification of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act in a bid to ensure quality and user-friendly helmets are sold to the two-wheeler riders. 

In its ongoing campaign on use of ISI-marked helmets, the forum has also sought that meeting be convened to stop the sale of fake helmets in the State. 

“We will petition Minister Gaude to raise the issue of bringing helmets under mandatory certification of BIS Act with the Central Consumer Protection Council. The issue of bringing helmets under mandatory certification under BIS Act will be raised by us at a training programme scheduled on September 30 by the Directorate of Industries, Trade and Commerce. The training programme on the BIS certification will be held for officials of the Goa government departments,” GOACAN coordinator Roland Martins said. 

The forum has also decided to raise the issue of sale of fake helmets at the forthcoming meetings of the District Consumer Protection Councils and District Road Safety Councils while urging that a meeting be convened by the Director of Transport to finalise the drive to stop the sale of non ISI marked helmets/fake helmets with departments such as Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Legal Metrology, Commercial Taxes, Traffic Police, Directorate of Industries, Trade and Commerce and the BIS.

Martins further stated that all outlets selling ISI marked helmets must be listed by the respective office of the Assistant Director of Transport (ADT). Similarly, all sales outlets of two wheelers should also be listed by the respective ADT office.  

“Copy of bill/cash memo being issued on sale of ISI marked helmets must be provided by the outlets to the respective ADT office. The list of branded ISI marked helmets along with the BIS registration number being sold by the outlets must be provided to the respective ADT office,” he added.