The hon’ble Apex Court asked the Central and the State Governments to include the survivors of acid attacks within the sphere of disabled persons. The court said that this will enable them to get benefited from the reservation in government employment. The bench was headed by Justice M Y Eqbal with Justice C Nagappan who stated that the government should bring the survivors of acid attack to the forefront of the nation and when bringing them under the sphere of disabled persons and granting them the benefits it will assist in the rehabilitation of such people. The Supreme Court further gave direction to the Government of Bihar to pay Rs 10 lakhs as compensation to the victim of acid attack added with free medical care and reconstruction surgery.
The Court further held that the Government has the obligation to give free medical care to such persons. Previously, the Court has issued directions to the government to take measures to rehabilitate and provide medical assistance to the acid attack victims. The Court had also decided to pay Rs 2 lakhs as minimum compensation which the concerned state government has to pay. The Court also ordered the states to provide help to the persons as directed in the judgment rendered earlier.
The court was dealing with a case filed by Parivartan Kendra, an NGO in Bihar which asked for the direction of the court to rehabilitate the victims of acid attack. The State Governments are to consider the issue with private hospitals to guarantee the treatment of acid attack victims. The Court also suggested that the hospitals should provide each victim with a certificate to get the benefits. It was also directed that acid shall be notified as “scheduled substance” to control its sale. The order should be sent to the Government Chief Secretary of all states and to make sure that such order be reached district magistrates, the court said. The court issued direction to publish the order to give awareness to the people.
Adv. Jewel Panicker