By IANS
Ahmedabad : A test done recently on decorative lamps by the Consumer Education and Research Society (CERS) here has revealed that Chinese lamps were not only of inferior quality but posed health hazards too. The lamps are commonly used during festivals and weddings.
The CERS laboratory tested 41 samples of six varieties lamps common in the market and assessed them on their energy consumption, safety and general working.
Five were of Chinese origin and one locally assembled. All the two-pin plug Chinese lamps were uneven in length, causing loose contact and heating of the plug which can lead to fire. These loosely fitted plugs pose danger to kids if touched accidentally, CERS observed.
Besides, CERS said, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) had not laid down any regulatory standards to test the quality of these commonly used lamps. It was found that the Chinese series do not always bear the name and place of their manufacturers.
In some cases, the number of lamps was less than mentioned on the cartons, a violation of the Packaged Commodities Rules framed under the Standards of Weights & Measures Act, CERS said. The organisation said it found 140 lamps in a carton that claimed to have 160.
However, the Chinese LED lamps consumed the least energy, one respect in which the Indian lamps turned out to be the worst. CERS said that though Chinese LED lamps were priced the highest, the money could be recovered within two months due to their efficiency.