Procuring acid in the Capital seems to be child’ play. Its sale is not banned however, there is a cap on storing acid. As per notification by the Delhi Government, the seller can be penalised heavily if he or she is caught selling acid more than the prescribed limit. The shopkeeper is supposed to keep a record of the sale and purchase of acid. All Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) have been authorised to keep a tab on the sale of acid and also punish the defaulters. They will be prohibited from selling acid to people under the age of 18 years. After the acid attack incident in Nand Nagri on Thursday night, Sub-Divisional Magistrates across the city have conducted checks on sale of acid and booked three small-time shopkeepers for not keeping records of the sale of acid.
A Sub-Divisional Magistrate on condition of anonymity said he has conducted a surprise check and found a shopkeeper not maintaining records on sale of acid. He has imposed a fine of Rs50,000 on him as per rules. According to him, acid is used mostly for cleaning toilets and ceramic fixtures in Indian homes and it is not easy keeping tab on each and every shopkeeper.
“Its extensive use for cleaning purposes is the primary reason for its easy availability in the open market. Most industries, both in the organised and unorganised sector, use acid extensively — it is used to process leather in the tanning industry; sanitation workers use it to unclog drains and pipes; construction workers to clean tiles; and the steel industry for pickling of steel,” he said.
The Pioneer has talked to several general store owners who clearly stated that they do not have stock record of acid sale and they do not keep any record. Divisional Commissioner (revenue) Dharampal told The Pioneer that Deputy Commissioners have taken action against those found not keeping records of stock of sale of acid. “Educational institutions, research laboratories, hospitals, Government departments and departments of public sector undertakings, who store acids, too have been asked to appoint a person for the safekeeping of acid on their premises,” said Dharampal.
The Supreme Court had cracked down on unregulated sale of acid across the country in September 2013. It laid down a list of guidelines that sellers would have to follow, including maintaining logs of sellers as well as recording and declaring total acid stocks.