State wants to patent Barot ‘rajma’, Palampur ‘lal chawal’

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 25

The Himachal Pradesh Patent Information Centre (HPPIC), which has been dormant for the last 18 years, wants Barot ‘rajma’, Palampur ‘lal chawal’ and ‘chuli ka tael’ patented.

It has sought exclusive commercial rights from the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks, Chennai, to protect farmers engaged in the production of these products which are prized for their unique use and quality in the state.

“After getting geographical indication (GI) logos on Kullu and Kinnauri shawls, Chamba rumal, Kangra tea and Kangra paintings, the HPPIC now wants to patent three more products,” said Kunal Satyarthi, Deputy Member Secretary, State Council for Science, Technology and Environment.

‘Rajma’ of Barot, a tourist spot in Mandi, which is also famous for trout, is known for its taste and colour.

‘Chuli ka tael’ (apricot oil), which is produced in Kinnaur, Shimla, Chamba and Kullu districts, is used for cooking and oiling. It is a thick oil and is sold in Khadi bhawans and retail shops in the state.

But Himachal has a competitor — Uttarakhand — which also claims to produce the apricot oil. “A panel of experts from the Registrar of Patents, Chennai, will take a call on this,” said officials. ‘Lal chawal’ is also produced in Kullu. “But we want Palampur rice patented,” said Satyarthi.

He said the GI logos on Kullu and Kinnauri shawls had saved artisans from huge losses as machine-made fakes from Ludhiana were preferred by tourists, given their cheap prices. “We have now 160 different registered agencies that can sell Kullu shawls in Himachal,” said the officials. The Himachal Pradesh Patent Information Centre has been dormant since 1998 as three state universities — Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and University, Nauni, Agricultural university, Palampur, and HP University, Shimla, — hardly filed patents for their research works and findings. But the Department of Biotechnology, HP University, is filing four patents through the HPPCI. “The three research findings are related to fern, new TB/anti-cancer drug, synthetic molecule used in treatment of bacterial-fungal diseases and increase in the shelf life of mushroom,” said Dr KK Kanwar, professor, Biotechnology Department. Satyarthi said: “We have asked government/private universities and corporations to file patents to take advantage of the IP Rights Act.”