The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued notices to e-commerce entity Flipkart for flagrant violations of acid-sale regulations on their platforms.
New Delhi,UPDATED: Dec 17, 2022 02:10 IST
A 17-year-old girl was allegedly attacked with acid by two bike-borne men in Delhi (File)
By Ashutosh Mishra: The Union consumer affairs ministry on Friday issued a notice to e-commerce giant Flipkart following the Delhi acid attack, wherein a teen was attacked with acid purchased from Flipkart.
Meanwhile, the Central Consumer Protection Authority, or CCPA, has asked Flipkart to submit a detained response along with necessary documents addressing the concern over the availability of acids on e-commerce platforms. The report has to be submitted within the next seven days.
The CCPA, a department part of the consumer affairs ministry, has sent notices to Flipkart for “gross violations” relating to the sale of acid reported on their platform.
This comes days after an acid attack on a 17-year-old girl in Delhi using acid sold on an e-commerce site.
The CCPA, being the watchdog of consumer interests in India, has come across the sale of highly corrosive acids on these e-commerce platforms. The availability of hazardous acids in such an accessible manner can be dangerous and unsafe for consumers and the public at large.
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued an advisory on “measures to be taken to prevent acid attacks on people and for treatment and rehabilitation of survivors” on August 30, 2013, wherein all the states and UTs were advised to take immediate steps to implement the measures mentioned therein for reduction of acid attacks and treatment and rehabilitation of acid attack survivors, as well as any other measure as may be deemed fit.
Several states and UTs have already issued guidelines to regulate the sale of acids. Since these e-commerce platforms operate and deliver their products across the length and breadth of the nation, they have been asked to provide the checks and compliance undertaken by them in this regard.
On a suo moto examination of the online sale of corrosive acids, the CCPA came across Meesho and found it to be selling such acids in violation of the directions of the Supreme Court as well as the advisory issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Any non-compliance by these e-commerce entities with the directions of the CCPA’s notices will be strictly dealt with as per the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
The sale of highly corrosive acids in an easy, accessible, and unregulated manner without any due diligence whatsoever by the e-marketplace entity can lead to disastrous consequences for consumers, especially the most vulnerable sections of society, namely women and children, says the CCPA.
Read | National human rights panel’s notice to Delhi govt, police over acid attack on girl
Watch | Break-up, online purchase of acid: What led to acid attack on Delhi teen
