Post Delhi attack, govt announces measures to help acid attack victims

The government  on Wednesday announced several measures to tackle the acid attack menace, a day after a woman doctor was injured in an acid attack in west Delhi. The measures include free treatment of acid attack victims, initiatives to categorise them as physically challenged and a web-based application to check the sale of acid. “In order to regulate the sale of acid, a web application having functionalities like registration of stockists and retailers, issue of licences by the district administration, targeting sale of acid to individuals only after recording personal details like proof of identity and proof of address of the purchaser will be developed. This measure will considerably reduce unauthorised sale of acid in the country,” a home ministry statement said. [caption id=“attachment_1634851” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A file photo of an acid attack victim. AFP[/caption] The statement said that while the government has taken various steps in the past to regulate the sale of acid, more needs to be done as victims of acid attacks suffer alot of anguish. Adding that acid attack victims needed to be treated by hospitals in a hassle-free manner, the statement said a new mechanism would soon be developed. “The ministry of home affairs will develop a new mechanism in consultation with the ministry of health and family welfare, and the ministry of finance and insurance companies so that the victims of acid attacks are treated on a cashless basis and the treatment amount is paid from the central victim compensation fund which is proposed to be set up by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA),” it said. “Steps will be taken to include acid attack victims in the category of physically-challenged persons with disability so that they are able to access the benefits of reservation, training and self-employment loan,” the statement added. The government also proposed to bring suitable amendments in law to fix a time frame for the disposal of appeals by courts especially in such cases to ensure speedy justice. IANS