Chennai: Refuting some of the information records regarding 740 tonnes of ammonium nitrate being stored in Chennai Port, an officer said the consignment was moved out a long time back.
“There is no storage of 740 tonnes of ammonium nitrate in the Chennai Port. It has been moved out long back,” a port officer informed IANS.
It may be recalled that 2,700 tonnes ammonium nitrate stored in Beirut port in Lebanon erupted on Tue. killing 135 people & wounding thousands.
It has been learned that the ammonium nitrate consignment of 740 tonnes in 37 containers have been imported by Amman Chemicals in 2018 as fertiliser.
The consignment has been imported from Korea.
Although, as the importer didn’t have the required license the Customs Dept. confiscated the overall consignment & had it stored in Sattva Container Freight Station, Manali here.
An staff of Sattva Container Freight Station informed IANS that the ammonium nitrate stored inside the containers & required safety precautions were taken.
It’s stated a portion of the consignment has been auctioned off by this Customs.
Meantime, PMK Creator S. Ramadoss in a tweet pointing out the Beirut explosions stated the ammonium nitrate must be taken out safely & utilized for fertiliser production.