Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: As part of a comprehensive set of recommendations to the government towards creation of a “survivor-centric framework”, the National Commission for Women has flagged the need for setting up a national acid attack case tracking registry linking FIR, medical care, compensation and rehabilitation. It has also sought the integration of online FIR systems with automatic relief and compensation triggers.The NCW’s “framework” seeks to address medical care, legal justice, rehabilitation, financial security, and long-term socio-economic inclusion for acid attack survivors across the country.The commission has submitted these recommendations to the ministries of home affairs, health and family welfare, women and child development and social justice and empowerment and sought expeditious action.From a mandatory ‘Golden Hour Protocol’ to be notified and uniformly implemented across all govt and private hospitals to ensure immediate medical intervention within the first 60 minutes following a corrosive injury to free, lifelong medical treatment and customised Ayushman Bharat packages covering repeated and staged reconstructive surgeries are some of the key recommendations.On the legal front, the commission has called for fast-tracking investigation and trial mechanisms with fixed timelines for acid attack cases. It has recommended the appointment of dedicated legal officers to assist survivors at the district level.The recommendations call for simplified procedures for FIR registration, including mandatory Zero FIRs and provision of stringent and exemplary punishment for acting as a deterrent. Direct online transfer of compensation linked with FIR registration is also among the recommendations.The NCW has also flagged the need for a uniform national compensation framework applicable across all states and UTs; time-bound disbursal of compensation (interim relief within 7–15 days) and inclusion of forced acid ingestion cases within compensation schemes.As far as the regulation of acid sale, the commission has called for strict control and licensing of acid sale at manufacturing, wholesale, and retail levels. Periodic audits and inspections of acid sale and storage have been sought, along with the need to make a clear distinction between industrial and other uses of acid.From amendments to the Poison Act, 1919, to strengthen enforcement, to mandatory record-keeping and reporting by acid vendors, are other recommendations.Drawing attention to the need to focus on psycho-social and mental health support, the NCW has recommended that the government make family counselling and caregiver support an integral part of rehabilitation and integrate psycho-social rehabilitation into all survivor welfare schemes.
