India / 740 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored in Chennai depot, officials say it's safe

Chennai: Storing 740 tonnes of ammonium nitrate in 37 containers inside a freight station on the outskirts of Chennai since 2015 has raised serious concerns following a massive blast in Lebanese capital Beirut that is suspected to have been caused by the explosive chemical.

Since the huge amount of ammonium nitrate was imported by Amman Chemicals based out of Karur in Tamil Nadu from South Korea without required permission, the Customs Department seized the chemical along with the containers and stored them at a container freight station in Manali, 30 km from here.

The consignment was seized in November 2015 after the firm’s licence was cancelled. Amman Chemicals also moved the Madras High Court against cancellation of the licence which upheld the government’s decision in 2016.

As concerns were raised over the safety of the explosive chemical store inside a freight station, the Customs Department issued a clarification on Thursday that there was no need to panic as the freight station where ammonium nitrate is stored is located in an isolated area.

“The chemical stored in a freight station in Manali is safe. Since there are no houses near the station, there is no cause for concern. Experts have inspected the place and have certified that the chemical is in a safe condition,” a Customs Department official said.

He added that efforts are being taken to e-auction 740 tonnes of ammonium nitrate on the orders of the Madras High Court. Sources said a team from the Petroleum & Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) also inspected the consignment and certified it safe.

Citing the huge explosion in Beirut which is understood to have been caused by ammonium nitrate, PMK chief S Ramadoss and environmentalists asked authorities concerned to remove the chemical from the area and ensure that no untoward incident takes place.

Environmentalist G. Sundarrajan, who runs an NGO called Poovulagin Nanbargal, said storing ammonium nitrate in huge quantities at one place was a risky affair and asked authorities to ensure their safety.

“According to reports, the blast in Beirut due to ammonium nitrate has triggered tremors to the level of four in the Richter scale and it is a serious concern. Authorities should not allow 740 tonnes of the explosive chemical to be stored in one place especially when we know the condition of warehouses in India. They should split the quantities and keep them in three or four different places,” he told DH.

ammonium nitrate is a highly explosive chemical used in the production of fireworks and fertilisers.