Prices of Alcohols used in manufacturing hand sanitisers capped under EC Act

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : In view of the COVID-19 (novel Corona Virus) and concern of the logistics for COVID 19 management particularly during last couple of weeks and that prices of the alcohol used in manufacturing the hand sanitisers have been exorbitantly increased by the producers of such alcohol, The Government of India has notified an order under the Essential Commodities (EC) Act to declare price cap prevailing as on March 5, 2020, on the above alcohols up to June 30.

The Government has also notified that the raw materials used in manufacture of essential commodities are also essential commodities under the E.C Act. States can now ask the manufacturers of these alcohols not to increase the prices of their product without concurrence of the Central Government.

On these items, the States may now notify the Central order in their official Gazette, also issue their own orders under the EC Act to that effect and take necessary actions as per the situation prevailing in the respective States.  Under the EC Act, powers of the Central Government have already been delegated to the States by way of orders during 1972 to 1978.  The States/UTs, therefore may take action against the offenders under the EC Act and PBMMSEC Act.

The decision would empower the Central Government and States/UTs to regulate prices, production, sale, distribution, transport, movement, storage, information etc. of alcohols used in manufacturing the hand sanitiser as preventive measure to avoid infection from COVID-19, and to smoothen the sale and availability of these items and carry out operations against hoarders, speculators, profiteers, blackmarketeers etc. and those involved in contravention of the orders of Central Government and States/UTs in respect of the above alcohols. This will help the manufacturers of hand sanitisers to keep prices of their and product at reasonable and within the reach of the common people, according to a PIB release.

The Central Government has requested the States/UTs  to advise the manufacturers of deodorants to manufacturer alcohol based hand sanitiser spray with ethyl alcohol as main content on mass  scale in the same plant which may manufacture this alcohol based sanitiser at very low cost and make it available in the market at the earliest.

The States have also been advised that the existing manufacturing units of alcohol based sanitiser be encouraged to increase their capacity.  Ministry of Environment has allowed increase in capacity by 50% without further environment clearances.