Face masks, hand sanitisers kept out of Essential Commodities Act: Govt

Encounter masks and hand sanitisers have been now stored out of the purview of Essential Commodities Act, 1955, Purchaser Affairs Secretary Leena Nandan explained on Tuesday as there is enough source of these products.

On March thirteen, the Union customer affairs ministry declared experience masks and hand sanitisers as important commodities for a hundred times to boost source and avert hoarding of these products in the combat in opposition to the coronavirus pandemic.

“These two products have been declared as important products till June thirty. We are not extending even more as there is enough source in the state,” Nandan informed PTI.

A choice in this regard was taken following session with the condition governments, she explained.

“We have checked with all states and bought details from them that there is enough source of these two products. There is no source worry,” she additional.

Masks — 2-ply and 3-ply surgical masks, and N95 masks — and hand sanitisers have been brought less than the Essential Commodities Act in March. This experienced empowered states to control generation, distribution and selling prices of these products as perfectly as crackdown on hoarding and blackmarketing.

In attempts to curb spreading of coronavirus bacterial infections, masks and hand sanitisers are staying extensively employed in the state.