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Methyl alcohol is harmful if consumed or handled improperly. “A sanitiser must ideally only have ethyl alcohol. Professor Ramesh Chandra, head of the chemistry department, University of Delhi, said because the presence of alcohol in sanitisers make them flammable, if stored in large quantity it must be in a regulated manner and with all due precautions.Ĭhandra said there are two kinds of alcohol in a sanitiser - ethyl alcohol and methyl alcohol. Hence, regulations will be necessary,” the second official said.Įxperts believe that high amount of alcohol in a sanitiser may cause accidents if handled carelessly. “There are high chances that the period post-covid-management would witness a large amount of unsold stock, and that comes with its own risks. The Delhi government has already asked local producers to keep their production capacity up till at least June 30, and the deadline can be further extended depending on the trajectory of cases in the city.
CROSSWORD LIGHT VOLATILE FLAMMABLE POISONOUS LIQUID LICENSE
Additional license fee on storage and sales is expected to add to the government’s revenue and, hence, a revision in the estimates for 2020-21,” said a second senior official. “While they are used round the year in hospitals and clinics, their domestic usage has increased recently. Government officials said, roughly one-fourth of the revenue under the concerned head comes from the production fee levied on hand sanitisers. In 2018-19, the state government earned around Rs 20.70 crore under the revenues head, for 2019-20, the revised revenue estimate was pegged at Rs 18.95 crore and, in 2020-21, the projected earning under the head is Rs 19.80 crore, budget documents showed. The license fee on production of hand sanitisers contributes to the revenue of the Delhi excise department under the category of medicinal and toiletry preparations containing alcohol. They usually contain ethyl alcohol (a clear, colourless liquid and the principle ingredient in alcoholic beverages like beer, wine or brandy) and methyl alcohol (a light, volatile, colourless, flammable liquid with a distinctive alcoholic odour similar to that of ethanol ).
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Hand sanitisers are covered under Schedule K of Drugs and Cosmetics Act. “But better regulations demand licencing for storage and sales,” the official added. Some guidelines are being drafted,” an official in the Delhi government said.Ī senior officer from the government’s health department said, because of the current situation and high demand for hand sanitisers, the product has been listed under essential commodities, which also helps them crackdown on black marketing. “The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, which regulates the import, manufacture and distribution of drugs in India is soon likely to include a provision concerning the requirement of a licence to store and sell hand sanitisers. However, no licence is required for storing and selling them.
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The sale and storage of hand sanitisers - one of the most effective weapons against Delhi’s war against Covid-19 - may soon be monitored by the government.Ī senior Delhi government official said that the administration may soon bring a rule making it mandatory for those selling and storing sanitisers to apply for a licence.Ĭurrently, the production of hand sanitisers requires a license.
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