The State Government has banned sale of any kind of acid without licence. After visiting the victims of a recent acid attacks here on Thursday, Chief Minister Harish Rawat announced that acid will not be sold without licence in the State. Those involved in this trade are supposed to obtain licence from the local administration, said the chief minister while adding that to curb the illegal sale of acid, raids will be conducted from time to time in the state.
In the meanwhile, he announced financial assistance of Rs1 lakh for those who were seriously injured in this acid attack, Rs50,000 for those who are less injured in this attack and Rs20,000 for those who sustained minor injuries in this attack and have now been discharged after treatment. It is pertinent to mention here that nearly two dozen people including 10 children were injured in an acid attack during a clash between two groups in Haldwani's Indiranagar area on Tuesday. Visiting the injured persons at the Sushila Tiwari hospital here along with Finance minister Indira Hridayesh and labour minister Harish Chandra Durgapal, the CM said that district magistrates should take concrete steps to ensure that only licensed traders sell acid in Uttarakhand.
Sale of acid without license will be considered a cognisable office, he added. The CM said that if needed the acid attack victims will be sent from the hospital in Haldwani to Delhi for better treatment with the State government bearing all expenses. Senior officials posted at Uttarakhand Niwas in New Delhi have been instructed regarding this. The Sushila Tiwari medical college principal Professor RC Purohit has been made the nodal officer for this. Directing the district administration and police officers to act friendly towards the general public and stringently against criminals, the CM directed the Nainital district magistrate to review the acid attack in detail and facilitate financial assistance to the victims.