Following the Supreme Court directives on sale of acid, the three municipal corporations in Delhi will conduct a survey and launch prosecution of the traders violating the norms. The MHA and the Delhi Government have also assigned the corporations responsibility of framing regulations for the sale of acid.
The decision was taken in a coordination meeting of three civic bodies headed by the Director of local Bodies. The Trade and Sales department, Delhi Government will be sharing details of the dealers and licence holders with the corporations. The Supreme Court on July 18 ordered the Centre and States to frame regulations for the sale of acid under the Poison Act, 1919 for making acid attack a non-bailable offence. Officials said a separate law could also be enacted enabling the municipal corporations to keep a track on sale of acid as per the existing laws, the civic bodies can, through a licence, only regulate the use of premises for the sale of acid.
However, South Delhi Municipal Commissioner Manish Gupta said in absence of appropriate regulations, it was difficult for the civic bodies to keep a track on the sale or transaction of acid and hence a separate law was required. "Any activity beyond the use of premises can not be regulated by the municipal corporations. The VAT Department of the Delhi Government is actually responsible for the collection of VAT on each transaction and hence it is in the position to regulate or check to whom such chemicals are being sold. It will be proper to enact a separate law in this regard and if considered necessary, opinion can be sought from the law department," said Gupta, who has a vast experience of working in the Sales Tax department. "All three Municipal Corporations will immediately conduct a survey and launch prosecution on noticing violation of the licence. The Trade and Taxes department and Commissioner VAT will be requested to share the information on transactions through sale of acid and the name and address of the dealers to the Municipal Corporations. Opinion of the law department will also be sought over the issue," the minutes of the meeting said.
Supreme Court has asked the enforcement agencies to ensure that licenced seller of acids and corrosive substances maintain a log/register pertaining to the sale of such material. It said that the register shall contain the address of the person to whom such substances have been sold. Photo identity card, containing residential address, issued by the authorities would be required for purchase which in any case cannot be sold to a person who is below the age of 18 years, the court had said. Further, the sellers will be required to disclose their stock to the authorities concerned, otherwise the undeclared stock would be confiscated and a fine of upto Rs 50,000 shall be imposed on such sellers. However, the court had allowed educational institutes, research laboratories, hospitals, Government departments and public sector undertakings to acquire bulk acids and corrosive substances by following the guidelines.