The Centre government has banned the export of alcohol-based hand sanitisers to other countries also suffering with coronavirus pandemic.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) that comes under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a notification that “Alcohol-based hand sanitisers are prohibited for export.”
The step by the government is intended to ensure and boost the availability of hand sanitisers in the domestic market which is causing shortage amid the outbreak of the highly contagious Covid-19 disease since, Sanitisers has been placed under essential commodity by the Government in the fight against the covid-19 and are much useful also as a disinfectant to prevent the spread.
Sanitisers of the major brands are not available in the market properly till date due to the extended lockdown and shortage in the supply.
Reports of people drinking sanitisers due to the high alcohol content have also emerged across India as people were not able to purchase liquor due to lockdown. Last month, a 29-year-old research student died in Hoysala Nagar of Dharwad district in Karnataka after consuming a hand sanitiser and cough syrup.
Health officials have repeatedly appealed to people not to consume sanitisers or cough syrups.
