Sir — This refers to the report, “SC pulls up Centre for easy availability of acid” (July 10).
As far as the law against acid attacks is concerned, India has a role model in neighbouring Bangladesh which, in 2002, passed two Acts restricting the import and sale of acid in open markets. While there are no official statistics of acid attacks on women in India, it is estimated that there are as many as 1,000 such attacks a year in the country. But, shockingly, the Government has done little to ban sale of acid in open markets.
Now with an exasperated Supreme Court intervening again, hopefully the Centre and the State Governments will be jolted out of their slumber. The apex court’s intervention, though crucial, is only the beginning. The courts should also make it mandatory for all acid traders to be licensed.