Rampant piracy is killing book business

The 60 per cent rise in illegal copying of books has caused a 40 per cent drop in business and Rs 2,000 crore in losses to major publishing houses in India

The 60 per cent rise in illegal copying of books has caused a 40 per cent drop in business and Rs 2,000 crore in losses to major publishing houses in India
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The post-recessionary period had already put the book business on the back foot and barely five months into 2011, book piracy is rampant and major publishers in the city are crying foul.


Cops have seized more than 50,000 pirated books in the last few months and have busted five different rackets operating in the city

According to an industry survey conducted in December 2010 by a leading publishing house, the annual turnover of the Indian publishing industry amounts to about Rs 9,000 crore.
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The industry suffers losses upward of about Rs 2,000 crore because of piracy, states the survey.

A 60 per cent rise in book piracy has been recorded and even as CCB sleuths are targeting various piracy networks, business has suffered by about 40 per cent so far.

Taking action
While many are questioning the lack of serious action taken against these offenders, the CCB has put forward a whole new revelation.

S H Dugappa, ACP, fraud and misappropriation wing of the CCB said that they have been actively busting book piracy rackets across the city.

"We have seized more than 50,000 pirated books in the last few months and have busted five different rackets at Avenue Road, Kaveri Road, MG Road, Majestic and Commercial Street.
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The accused have been punished under Section 420 of the IPC and have been fined heavily too," said Dugappa.

Further explaining the network of book piracy, a source from within the CCB reveals, "There are two major networks functioning in the city.

The most common network is made up of small-scale unauthorized publishers, who reprint books and sell them on streets across the city.

The other, more powerful chain operates from storehouses in Shimoga and Tumkur, from where bulk copies are sent out across the entire city."

Hard bound
Booksellers in the city are a troubled lot as they see lack of initiative by the government in curbing piracy. "A publisher cannot make sure pirates are punished," said Anuj Bahri.

Popular booksellers Gangarams too have faced huge losses in the last five months.

"There has been a 50 per cent drop in business post recession and these illegal book sellers, who have stalls below out store, have further cut our business," said Rajesh Kumar, from the accountants department.

Kapish Mehra, MD, Rupa Publications, further stresses on the need for a 'National Book Policy' to curb the menace. "We need to seriously tackle the piracy menace.
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The problem needs to be addressed in a very aggressive and cohesive manner and should be dealt with at the root level," he said.

With such losses being faced each year, there is serious need for laying down stringent acts to tackle the issue.