MUMBAI: Information and Broadcasting Ministry has decided to tighten the noose on the piracy.

As per a notice issued by the Ministry, multiplex owners will have to screen an anti-piracy clip to educate consumers about the ill effects of piracy.

The clippings have been prepared by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci). The ministry has issued such notices under Section 12(4) of the Cinematographic Act, upon the request made by FICCI, as per which it has been made mandatory for multiplex owners to screen the videos, contravention of which may have implications of the license issued to multiplex owners.
 
"Let‘s not indulge in Piracy: ‘It‘s a crime‘ will be soon imbibed as a culture in the minds of youth. The latest action taken by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of issuing notices will go long way in building culture of respecting Intellectual Property," said Ficci secretary general Rajiv Kumar.

During a recent conference held by Ficci-IPR Division in Mumbai under the aegis of ‘Ficci-MHRD-Anti-Piracy Coordination Cell‘, it was highlighted that cineplexes are majorly used as a platform for piracy.

Unscrupulous elements often indulge themselves in the act of piracy by camcording/recording the films through various technological means in cineplexes while these are being shown. Later, such films find their way on internet and flood the market through pirated CDs.

Piracy is not a new word in the dictionary of Crime. The act, not only affects film producers, but also the government by way of losses in form of taxes slipping out of its hands.

As per the latest statistical data of 2010 given by India Entertainment Media Outlook 2011, the loss that piracy has caused to entertainment industry is Rs 5.2 billion.