Kashi incident puts focus back on open sale of banned acid
LUCKNOW: The acid attack on Russian woman in Varanasi on Friday has shifted the focus back on open sale of the deadly acid.
While the Supreme Court had directed all the state governments to enforce restrictions on the sale of acid, social activists running campaign against the sale said the order of the apex court had not been implemented and it was easily available in the market.
National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), in its report, had stated that over 350 acid attack cases were reported in various parts of the country, including UP.
The cases of acid attacks have been reported recently in Meerut, Agra, Gonda, Kanpur and Bareilly districts. The family members of the victims as well as the social organisations raised demand for ban on the open sale of acid in the market.
To check acid attacks, particularly on girls, the state government in August 2013 had decided to regulate its sale. The order said that those under 18 years of age will not be eligible to purchase acid from shops. A person will have to submit a photocopy of identity card issued by the government to get a bottle of acid.
The shops selling acid were directed to maintain a register. The detail of the buyers including name and address, purpose for which it has been purchased and the quantity of acid purchased will be maintained by the sellers.
Accused in the acid attack on Russian woman, Siddharth Srivastava, had purchased over 3 litres acid from the market.
How he managed to purchase such a large quantity of acid is a mystery. A home department officer said the Varanasi district magistrate had been directed to probe into the case and submit report. The DM and SPs of all the districts had been directed to restrict the sale of acid in their respective districts, he said.
To regulate the sale of acid, the sub divisional magistrates will monitor the sale in their respective areas.
If any ir re gularity was detected he will seize the stock and impose fine of Rs 50,000. A detail report of the stock, registration number and address of the shop will be submitted by the shopkeeper in the commercial tax department. The commercial tax department, in turn, will pass the information to the sub divisional magistrates.
The educational institutions, research laboratories, hospitals and government departments that stock acid as well as use it will now have to maintain a register indicating the stock of acid. The department and institutions will submit report to the sub divisional magistrates regarding consumption of acid .
The organisations and institutions will have to appoint an officer who will handle the stock. Those who violate the state government order will be punished according to the rules.