Women's Panel Wants Complete Ban On Unregulated Sale Of Acid

Restricting glorification of revenge plots in movies, making district magistrates the only authority to grant acid selling licences and setting up a corpus for acid attack victims through CSR funds were among the suggestions made during a meeting Wednesday of stakeholders with the National Commission for Women.

The meeting was attended by 23 nodal officers and representatives from states across the country. The stakeholders recommended treating victims of petrol and diesel attacks in the same way as victims of acid attacks in terms of compensation.

They also suggested providing financial support to private hospitals for free medical care for acid attack victims, reservation in government jobs for survivors, and setting up a corpus fund for them through corporate social responsibility.

Calling on the Censor Board to restrict glorification of revenge plots in movies, streamlining the compensation process for victims, enabling more rehabilitation and employment opportunities for survivors were also some of the suggestions made during the meeting.

Some of the other recommendations were conducting an extensive campaign to raise awareness about gender sensitivity in schools, universities, and among law enforcement and other institutions; imposing strict regulations on sale of acid, with DMs being the only authority to grant licences, and requiring regular reporting on the sale of acid.

The NCW said it will be taking all the recommendations discussed during the meeting forward to ensure that necessary steps are taken to help women affected by acid attacks and for prevention of such cases.

In her inaugural address, NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma emphasised on the urgent need to bring an end to unregulated sale of acid and other corrosive substances and proper rehabilitation of survivors.

"Despite the Supreme Court's ban, the truth is that acid still remains available for sale. It must be ensured that strict provisions are kept in place to stop the unregulated sale of acid. No society can be considered civilised if it does not act to prevent such a heinous atrocity on women," said Ms Sharma.