The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC) has suggested that imposing restrictions on distribution and sale of acids will seriously jeopardise the growth of the consuming sectors and requested the Home Ministry to incorporate suitable punishment under IPC and CrPC to those attacking on women with acids.

In the wake of increasing acid attacks o women there were calls for ban on the substances.

"Acids are manufactured by number of companies in huge quantities located in almost all states of the country and are consumed by host of industries such as fertilisers, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, dyes, speciality chemicals, textiles etc," the DCPC said in a letter to the Home Ministry.

"Imposing regulation on the distribution, transportation and sale of acids will seriously jeopardise the growth of these consuming sectors. The Ministry of Home Affairs may incorporate suitable punishment to the offenders committing acid attacks on women in their existing laws of IPC and CrPC," the DCPC said.

The DCPC has earlier said that there has to be proper consultation among stakeholders before enactment of a law to ban sale ad distribution of acids.

The Acid (Control) Bill, 2009, introduced in the Rajya Sabha, aims at providing for control and sale and distribution of acids in order to prevent the acid attacks on human being particularly women.

According to the DCPC, the bill provides for appointing a Controller of Acids to control and regulate sale and distribution of acids in such a manner as may be prescribed.

The controller shall be empowered to ban the retail sale of acid to specified persons, prescribe compulsory licenses for dealers authorised to sell acid in retail.

The DCPC said acids are very important component of the chemical industry.

"These are required in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, dyes, pigments, pesticides, organic syntheses and many other hosts of products. Putting restriction on the retail sale and distribution of acids will definitely hamper the growth of the chemical sector," the DCPC felt.

It is therefore pertinent to have stakeholders' consultation on the issue, it suggested.