Days after the horrific blast in Lebanon’s Beirut, a city-based explosives company has purchased 742 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, the same component that caused huge destruction at the port that claimed more than 200 lives.
As per sources, Salvos Explosives & Chemicals Private Ltd bought the consignment from the Chennai customs department at a recent auction.
“The company is planning to store the stock at its manufacturing unit in Ankireddipally village in Keesara mandal on the outskirts of the city. On Sunday evening, 181 tonnes of ammonium nitrate in 10 containers was dispatched to Hyderabad by road from Chennai, which is likely to arrive soon. The remaining consignment of 561 tonnes in 27 containers would also reach Hyderabad in the coming few days,” sources revealed.
A Shyam Sunder Reddy, MD of Salvo Explosives and Chemicals Private Ltd, said the ammonium nitrate would be stored in the company warehouse as per the instructions of government authorities. “We have followed the safety precautions as mentioned by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO). A police team also visited our warehouse and took down details,” he shared.
Meanwhile, Malkajgiri DCP Rakshitha K Murthy confirmed the police team visit. “Along with other government agencies, we have also checked the facilities at the explosives unit to ensure that the consignment would be stored in a safe manner. The first consignment has not yet arrived yet,” the DCP said.
Sources said proper safety measures have been put in place for the transportation of ammonium nitrate. Apart from portable fire extinguishers in each container, private security personnel will be accompanying the vehicles till they reach the destination.
The 742 tonnes of ammonium nitrate was seized by the Chennai customs in 2015 after a company imported it without proper license. Following the explosion at the Beirut port, the Centre had asked customs officials to shift ammonium nitrate lying at ports and container freight stations to safer locations.
On Sunday evening, 181 tonnes of ammonium nitrate in 10 containers was dispatched to Hyderabad by road from Chennai, which is likely to arrive soon. The remaining consignment of 561 tonnes in 27 containers is also expected to reach Hyderabad in the coming few days, according to sources.
