Acid attack Task force to regulate sale of acid, govt nods Rs.1 Lex-gratia for victim

In the backdrop of recent acid attack in Srinagar and with objective to avoid such incidents in future, the administration has constituted a 11 members task force to regulate sale of acid as well as corrosive substances in the district while announced handed over a cheque of Rs.1 lakh to the family of a victim of acid attack.
Moreover, political leaders including former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and other demanded strict action against the culprits.

As per the order, the task force will conduct a survey regarding the unregulated, unauthorized, illegal sale of acid and corrosive substances in light of an order dated 18th July 2013 of Supreme Court in Laxmi Vs Union of India & others case.

Further, the team shall furnish a report within 2 weeks along with specific recommendations regarding action to be taken. An order in this regard has been issued by Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Mohammad Aijaz.
As per the directions of the Supreme Court of India in an order dated 18.07.2013 in W.P. (Cr.) No. 129 of 2006, Laxmi Vs Union of India & others, the counter, sale of acid is completely prohibited unless the seller maintains a log/register recording the sale of acid which will contain the details of the person(s) to whom acid(s) is/are sold and the quantity sold.

The log/register shall contain the address of the person to whom it is sold. All sellers shall sell acid only after the buyer has shown, a photo ID issued by the Government which also has the address of the person, Specifies the reason/purpose for procuring acid and all stocks of acid must be declared by the seller with the concerned Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) within 15 days.

“No acid shall be sold to any person who is below 18 years of age. The educational institutions, research laboratories, hospitals, Government Departments and the departments of Public Sector Undertakings, who are required to keep and store acid, shall follow prescribed guidelines”, the directions of Supreme Court of India read.

Whereas, in view of the recent horrifying acid attack in Srinagar, immediate remedial measures are required to fix the responsibility. Accordingly, a surveillance Task Force to regulate the sale of acid/ corrosive substances in district Srinagar is hereby constituted with the following composition as well as terms and conditions, the order reads.

As per the order issued, the task force committee includes Dr. Syed Mohammad Haneef Balki, Additional Distract Magistrate, Srinagar, Arif Shah SP. Headquarter, Jatin Kishore IAS, Probation, Shiban Siddarth IPS, Probation.
Muzaffar Ahmad Wani Deputy Controller Enforcement Legal Metrology, Arhsid Qadir Assistant Labour Commissioner, Mohammad Aslam Wani SDPO Mahraj Gung, Fayaz Hussain Shah SDPO Shaheed Gunj, Mushtaq Ahmad Assistant Director Food, South, Mohammad Yousuf Assistant Director Food, North and Mohammad Younis Assistant Drug Controller.

The task team as per the order shall be competent to seal premises/ commercial establishments found indulging in illegal/ unauthorized sale of acid/ corrosive substances and shall ensure that no one is allowed to buy, sell, use, store, distribute, transport acid/ corrosive substances in contravention to rules/ laws governing the same.
The team shall ensure that every license-holder shall maintain a register recording all sales of acid/ corrosive substances, other than those used by a chemist and druggist for dispensing or compounding in compliance with the prescription of a medical or veterinary practitioner.

“The following particulars shall be entered in such register in respect of each sale, which includes serial no, date of sale, name, telephone number and address of the purchaser, name of the acid/ corrosive substance, quantity sold, signature of purchaser or thumb impression if illiterate or in case of purchase by post, date of the letter or written order and reference to the origins in the file in which is preserved”, the order reads.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Mohammad Aijaz Asad along with Senior Superintendent of Police Rakesh Balwal visited SMHS Hospital to oversee the medical treatment of the 24-year old acid attack survivor, an official spokesman said.

The DC and SSP interacted with the parents of the victim and expressed their solidarity with her, he said.
On the occasion, the DC handed over a cheque of Rs.1 lakh out of District Red Cross Fund as an immediate assistance to the victim’s family and also assured all possible support from the local authority.

The DC was informed by the doctors that all the best medical facilities are being given to the survivor.

The doctors are monitoring her condition and she is in a stable condition, said the Medical Superintendent of the Hospital.

Moreover, Former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday demanded stringent action against those who attacked a girl from Srinagar with acid a few days back.
Mehbooba while talking to reporters said that acid attack on Srinagar girl is an inhuman act and those behind this heinous crime should be given stringent punishment so that such incidents are put to an end.

Condemning the acid attack on a girl in Srinagar, Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Wednesday offered to bear all the medical expenses to the victim.

Bukhari along with scores of his party leaders visited SMHS hospital where he expressed solidarity with the acid attack victim who was targeted days ago in Srinagar.

Bukhari met the family members of the victim and assured all possible help including financial support for advanced medical treatment across the country.

It is pertinent to mention here that acid was thrown on a 24-year-old girl in Srinagar on Tuesday this week, who is undergoing treatment at SMHS Hospital Srinagar. Whereas, a day later the Jammu and Kashmir police had said three people have been arrested in the acid attack case.