Just a few days after the explosion of ammonium nitrate in Beirut killed over a 100 people and injured thousands, serious concerns have been raised about 740 tonnes of the same chemical in storage for years on the outskirts of Tamil Nadu's capital city of Chennai, under the custody of the Customs Department.
NDTV reports officials as saying that an e-auction to dispose of the chemical 'is in advanced stages'.?
The consignment of the chemical used in manufacturing fireworks and fertilisers was seized at the Chennai port in 2015 and has been lying there since then. However, according to Chennai port the pile of explosives is not stored in the harbour anymore.
"Around 36 containers, each with around 20 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, have been shifted long time ago and now they are under the Customs Department's control," NDTV quoted an officer from the Public Relations Department of the Chennai Port as saying.?
"We have ammonium nitrate at the Sattva container depot. This was illegally imported by Sri Amman Chemicals. We are working to dispose them, and shall give all the details soon," a senior Customs Department Officer told NDTV.
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs has directed field offices to verify that all explosive materials lying in Customs warehouses and ports duly meet safety and fire standards and ensure they are not dangerous to people.?
Also Read: Beirut Explosion Videos Show What Some People Were Doing The Very Moment The Blast Occurred
‘CBIC has urgently directed Customs and field formations to immediately confirm and verify within 48 hours that any hazardous and explosive material lying in warehouses and ports across the country meets all safety and fire standards and presents no danger to life and property,’ the board tweeted.?
About 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored in the Beirut port warehouse exploded on Tuesday, causing massive destruction.